Chimera 2: Yellow Eyes
by Sahrita
Summary: This Sequel to Chimera, follows her to Earth, the home of the Atlanteans. Driven by grief, she seeks change and finds it when she stumbles on a plot to destroy the Humans. Relishing the hunt, will Chimera find allies, or will she be hunted herself?
1. A Convenient Accident

A Convenient Accident

Los Angeles. The city of Angels. Home of the rich and famous, or so Chimera had heard. She was still trying to work out what was so impressive about the city. It was late on a Friday night and the streets were crowded and noisy. People gathered in tight dresses, high heels and loose shirts, the air heavy with the scent of alcohol and diesel fumes. It made Chimera nauseous. Traffic had not abated as the day drew to a close and Chimera had grown bored of counting the amount of emergency vehicles that had past, sirens loud and lights flashing. The city was lit up worse than a christmas tree and quite frankly, the chaos was giving her a headache. This had resulted in Chimera wandering the back alleys where it was quieter. The smell wasn't any better, but her eyesight and hearing weren't continually being assaulted, so she had to accept a win somewhere. It had also helped to vent some of her frustration on the fools that thought she was an easy target at one point. Four men, one woman and a dark alley. To be fair, it would have been heavily in their favour, if it hadn't been Chimera they cornered. That was their problem, or at least it would be, when they finally woke up.  
As far as Chimera could tell with a glance, she was currently outside the back of a hotel and an expensive one at that. Chimera paused, sniffing the air and grinned, fangs flashing in the low light. The hot smell of food reached her and she silently traced it to a large open door in a concrete yard. Inside she could see people dressed in black and white darting around what looked to be a kitchen. A large one at that, adding to her suspicions that the building was a hotel. Chimera crept closer till she stood in the doorway. They all seemed far too busy, not noticing her as she slipped part way inside. To her right was a large walk in freezer, its metal door closed, yet she could feel the heavy thrum of the machinery keeping it cool. To her left was an open door leading into an industrial chiller, the door open slightly. A few feet in front of her, the room widened and she could see the large cookers at the back, partially hidden by the rack of utensils that split the room into two walkways. Chimera glanced around one last time, before slipping into the chiller, where she saw a big tub of cream sitting on one of the shelves. No one was inside and she browsed the shelves of desserts ready to be served in the hotel restaurant. She was thieving a strawberry dipped in cream when she heard an exclamation of surprise behind her. Chimera spun round with a curse, hastily swallowing the mouthful of strawberry. Distracted by the food, she had foolishly dropped her guard. Stood by the door was a man in a white coat, checkered black and white trousers and carrying a box in his hands. Before the man could recover from his shock, Chimera darted past him, only to skid to a halt as she found her escape blocked. She couldn't quite fathom out, how she didn't hear the large truck that now sat with its open back against the door. A loading bay. Of course it was. Two more men stood by the truck doors as a third shoved boxes closer to the edge. All three stared at her in surprise and she cursed again as an angry shout came from the chiller behind her. Unable to get out of the loading bay door, Chimera went the only way she could. Further into the kitchen. She spun on one heel, darting to the right of the utensil rack, putting her out of sight for a few precious seconds. Long enough to turn into a small tabby cat, native to Earth. She shot past the rack, bearing a brief glance for the sinks as she surprised a young Dishwasher, before darting through an open door in front of her, just as it swung shut. Chimera slunk to the side of the door, behind a potted tree and quickly glanced around, assessing her position. She was in the main restaurant and apparently unnoticed for now. A few people sat at tables to the side where it was well lit and a waitress was hurrying away from the kitchen with several plates of food. Chimera noticed a rope barrier up in front of an archway to her right, preventing people from entering the seating area at the back of the restaurant. The lights were all dimmed right down, meaning that it would be nice, quiet and highly unlikely to be disturbed. She quickly snuck her way there, as far from the customers as possible. The restaurant was dimly lit and her tabby colouring allowed her to hide in the shadows with ease, disappearing under the rope without a sound, thanks to the thick carpet.  
Against the walls, the tables had sofa like seats instead of chairs, their backs forming a low ledge all the way around. The junction of each ledge where two sofas met, held some form of decorative ornament, vase of flowers or elegant lamp. Chimera jumped up and settled behind the statue of a cowboy holding, one handed to his bucking steed. She closed her eyes intent to doze till everything quietened down and she could slip away, deciding it was time to return to her ship.  
Chimera hadn't dozed for long when she heard soft voices. Opening her eyes a fraction, she watched a waitress leading a woman in a tight black evening dress and two men in suits to a table. The waitress switched on a nearby lamp, giving the table just enough light to eat by, while remaining discreet. The men stopped at the archway and positioned themselves either side.  
Like Guards.  
The feline thought briefly. The woman followed the waitress to a table just one down from where Chimera hid.  
"Can I get you a drink while you wait, Ma'am?"  
"I'll have a bourbon."  
"Yes Ma'am."  
The waitress hurried away and Chimera watched the woman as she pulled out her phone, tapping a quick message with perfectly manicured nails, her mouth pulling down into a slight frown. The cat shrugged to herself before yawning and closing her eyes once more, her interest in the woman already gone. It wasn't long after the woman received her drink that the waitress returned with a dark haired man in tow, dressed in an impeccable black and white suit. The woman stood to greet him as the waitress left. The gentleman beamed, taking the woman's hand and giving it a kiss, bowing slightly as he did so. They took their seats once more. His skin was darker, more tanned than the woman's and when he spoke, his accent was strange. Chimera tried to place it. Spanish perhaps? Or Mexican. Mexico was right on the border of the American states if Chimera remembered right and the accent seemed fitting compared to the popular shows she had been introduced to.  
"Anna. It's good to see you again."  
"You're late Hector."  
The woman, Anna, spoke with a disapproving tone, snatching her hand back as if his tardiness was a personal offence. Chimera huffed in amusement while the man, Hector, merely leant back with a smile.  
"My apologies. There was a problem with traffic. Shall we order?"  
Chimera closed her eyes again, ignoring the return of the waitress. Once the waitress had vanished with their order, she heard the Mexican pour a drink and lean back in his seat.  
"You look stunning as always my dear."  
"I'm well aware of how I look Rodriguez. I thought we were here to discuss business, or are you just wasting my time?"  
Chimera opened one eye, raising an eyebrow, as much as she could in feline form, at the woman's brusque comment. The Mexican just laughed.  
"Time with me is never wasted Anna and I do love a confident woman. Very well then, straight to business. I have the shipment you requested, ready for delivery."  
"All of it?"  
"All fifty tonnes of the purest quartz available."  
Chimera opened both eyes and stared at the couple.  
'Fifty tonnes of pure quartz? Dear stars, what is she going to do with that? Not even jewellers use that much.'  
"Good. How soon can you have it delivered to San Francisco?"  
The Mexican sighed, toying with his glass. Chimera couldn't see his face as he sat with his back to her, but judging by Anna's expression, something was wrong.  
"That's where we have a problem."  
I knew that was coming.  
Anna scowled, her eyes narrowing.  
"What problem?"  
The Mexican paused as the waitress returned with their food. They remained quiet until she had passed the woman's guards, back to the kitchen. Chimera studied the two men in the archway for a moment. She could smell the oil from their guns, hidden under their jackets. One had shifted slightly as the waitress passed, revealing a glimpse of what appeared to be, a shoulder holster. Her stomach growled at the smell of the food and she took a deep breath, savouring the smell of chicken and salmon as she returned her attention to the couple.  
"It is getting increasingly more difficult to sneak things past the Mexican border without being caught. I can get your quartz to San Francisco, but it will cost more than we originally planned."  
Chimera watched as Annas scowl deepened, her knuckles going white as she tightened her grip on her cutlery.  
Well, that seems to have made him popular. Why would she need to ship quartz under the radar? Hardly an illegal substance.  
"How much more?"  
Anna's voice had gone dangerously low and Chimera got the sense of a predator sizing up it's prey. The Mexican on the other hand, didn't seem to sense the danger. Whether he was stupid or just naive, was up for debate in Chimeras opinion.  
"Not much. A couple of million. My contact is awfully nervous of the Border Patrols."  
'ouch. That's not small money on Earth.'  
Anna was silent for a few minutes as she ate. Chimera was amused when the Mexican shifted under the woman's piercing gaze. Finally, she responded to his demands.  
"Very well, but I expect a quicker delivery. Two days from tomorrow. Your contact had better not be late, or he will suffer my wrath."  
Hector Rodriguez gave a laugh.  
"I'll be sure to warn him. The ship is called The Helix. I will let you know which dock he will arrive at, as soon as I know."  
They fell silent again as the waitress returned for their plates.  
"Would you like the dessert menu?"  
Chimer licked her lips at though, but was disappointed with Anna's response.  
"No, that will be all."  
The waitress nodded at Anna and glanced at the Mexican who shook his head.  
"I'll go get the bill then."  
Once she had gone, Rodriguez turned to Anna, crossing his legs as he leant back in his seat.  
"If I may ask, what exactly do you plan to do with fifty tonnes of quartz, that you don't want the authorities to trace back to you?"  
Anna raised a manicured eyebrow at him and Chimera huffed her amusement again.  
"That, Mr Rodriguez, is none of your business. Now go. You have work to do."  
As the Mexican stood with a smile and departed, Chimera rubbed a paw over her nose. As interesting as it had been to listen in to their conversation, she had no interest in Earth's black market dealings. Every planet had one, hell, even her own home world had had a black market. The woman's perfume was making Chimeras nose burn and she tucked it under her tail when it was clear that there was nothing more to see. The waitress returned with the bill and departed quickly after. One of the guards approached the woman as she stood, bag in hand.  
"Are you ready Milady?"  
"Prepare for the arrival of the shipment in San Francisco and if that fool causes any problems, kill him."  
Chimeras head shot up and she stared at Anna in amazement. The woman's voice had changed to sound deeper and echoing. Her eyes flashed gold, as though lit from behind. Unmistakable in the dim light. The guard bowed, his hand placed over his heart in salute and Chimera realised that both men wore hats that covered down to their eyes. Anna flicked a hand and the guards moved to flank her as they left through the archway. Chimera sat up, watching with curiosity.


	2. Salt and Stars

Salt and Stars

Chimera slipped out of the shadows and back through the swinging door to the kitchen. The restaurant was empty and the kitchen was busy cleaning up and preparing for the morning. The tabby went unnoticed as she slipped under the sinks and past the utensil stand. Her eyes went to the loading bay door and found it still open. Seeing no one in the vicinity, she bolted for the door, darting down the alley and hiding round a corner. She shifted back and grinned. With a laugh, she pushed of the wall and headed further into the alley. She thought back to the conversation she had overheard in the restaurant. Chimera couldn't help but think that the voice was familiar. If she was right, her friends had a device that had made their own voice sound similar. They had brought it with them after a trip back home and spent several days playing with it, under the guise of training. Chimera had taken great enjoyment out of trying to guess which one was the supposed creature, for it was meant to imitate a creature they fought. A parasitic creature who took human hosts and thought themselves to be gods, able to change their voices, so they could blend in among Humans when needed.  
'What were they called? Gold? Guld? No, Goa'uld. That was it, but I thought they had all been destroyed.'  
Chimera was distracted from her thoughts, when her stomach growled again. Sighing, she pulled out her earpiece from her pocket. Slipping it into her ear as she activated it.  
"This is Chimera to the Dark Star, do you copy?"  
The voice of her trusted Second in Command and friend, came over the speaker.  
"This is the Dark Star. We hear you loud and clear Commander."  
"Get a lock on my position and pick me up. I'm hungry."  
She could practically hear the eye roll and grin as Tanya responded.  
"Yes Commander."  
Chimera deactivated her earpiece. As far as she knew, Goa'uld were enemies to Earth and this one seemed to be planning something under the Earthen Authorities radar. If she didn't want the Authorities to know what was going on, then it couldn't be good and the quartz made more sense now. Goa'uld technology, among other races, relied heavily on crystals. Chimera had found Earth boring since arriving, but now, something had caught her attention. As beams of silver blue light formed spiraling around her, Chimera grinned broadly, fangs bared and eyes flashing.  
'Looks like I found myself a hunt.'  
With a deep hum and a flash of light, the alleyway was empty.

Chimera strolled onto the bridge of the Dark Star, gazing lazily at the moon that filled the view as she sat in the Command chair. Tanya was busy tapping at one of the console screens flanking the chair and didn't look up.  
"Commander."  
"Tanya. Anything interesting?"  
The woman shrugged, her black ponytail swinging as she switched between screens. She tapped in a final command and leant back in her seat. Sparkling green eyes met gold and she grinned.  
"Not really. Got a few of the crew to pick up. A couple in the Central Asian area means we have to come out of orbit to get them. They are currently on the other side of the planet. Oh and sounds like one of the engineers pissed of the local wildlife."  
Chimera rolled her eyes.  
"Don't tell me, it was Marco. How badly hurt is he?"  
"Hah, indeed it is and he's not to badly hurt. He got out of the way in time, but I can see why he is dating one of the Medics. She patched him up."  
Chimera shook her head with a smile. She activated the holographic command console in the arm of her chair, bringing up one of the screens in a blue light.  
"How did my programmes do?"  
"I wouldn't know. I only just got here. All I've done is check on the crew planetside."  
Chimera hummed in response but said nothing as she leant forward, attention fixed on the display. She felt Tanya come round and lean against the Weapons Console where she had been working.  
"Did you seriously hack into the Stargate Command Database?"  
The Commander froze guilty, eyes flicking sideways to see Tanya without turning around. She spun round with an easy grin, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.  
"Now, would I do that?"  
Tanya crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow and huffed.  
"Yes."  
"Then why do you seem surprised?"  
Chimera dropped the innocent pretense. Tanyas mouth curved into a slight smile and she shook her head.  
"Now that I think about it, I'm really not. Won't they know you have hacked them?"  
Chimera snorted, turning back to her console.  
"With their technology? Even with the technology they have received from other races, their defence systems suck."  
Tanya leant closer to see what Chimera was reading.  
"What are you looking for?"  
"Anything to do with the Goa'uld. I think I found one on Earth."  
The Human glanced at Chimera in confusion, then rolled her eyes.  
"Only you Commander."  
Chimera looked surprised.  
"What? What did I do?"  
Tanya straightened, heading back to her place at the Weapons Console.  
"Only you could come to Earth for a holiday and end up chasing one of their greatest enemies. Are you sure you met a Goa'uld? I thought you said they had won the war against them."  
Chimera looked affronted.  
"That's not fair. It's not as if I went out looking for a hunt. I got stuck in some restaurant and they happened to be sat nearby organising an underground deal. Anyway, I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I recognised some of the signs. That, is why I am hacking into Stargate Command. To be certain."  
"You got stuck in a restaurant?"  
Chimera blinked at Tanya a few times, trying to think how best to explain. In the end, she just shrugged.  
"Long story."  
Tanya nodded, her face a picture of resigned disbelief.  
"Well, if I can distract you for a moment, it would be appreciated."  
Chimera pulled her attention away from a case file detailing an encounter between a Goa'uld named Ba'al and SG1.  
"What for?"  
Tanya handed Chimera a small card.  
"This is what most Humans on Earth use for money. We used your programme as instructed and hacked several accounts. We found ones that have large amounts in them and a lot of suspicious activity. It's amazing how many had links to Human trafficking, drugs etc. By the way, have you ever heard of someone called Rothschild?"  
Chimera glanced up from where she was examining the small plastic card. She shook her head.  
"No, can't say I have. Why?"  
Tanya returned to her seat.  
"They were our biggest hit. One of the largest accounts we found for hacking into. Think we pissed them off though. Security went up, but of course, your programme left no trace for them to follow."  
Chimera shrugged.  
"Do they have connections to illegal activities?"  
Tanya nodded.  
"Oh yeah. I was able to link them to anything and everything illegal, including government manipulation."  
"Screw them then."  
She stood up and stretched.  
"Alright. Bring me up the map of Earth."  
Tanya hit a few buttons and a three dimensional hologram formed in front of the Command Deck. The Earth revolved slowly and Chimera stepped closer.  
"Show me the Earth city, San Francisco."  
The hologram zoomed into a large landmass and Chimera recognised that they were being shown a section of coast just north to her last position in Los Angeles. The city sat around a large bay with a couple of bridges providing access across the narrower sections. Some distance from the coast lay a group of three Islands, just before the ocean floor dropped even deeper. Chimera nodded to herself.  
"What time is it there?"  
Tanya checked her console.  
"Late. About ten at night."  
"That's fine. I still have two more days before the drop. I think I fancy staying the night in San Francisco. Experience of Earth, you know. Drop me of somewhere in San Francisco, then go see to our wayward crew. Take your time. I assume it won't be long before the next shift go planetside?"  
"Another hour Commander. Like I said, the majority are on the other side though."  
Chimera grinned, waving a hand to dismiss the hologram. She stood in the centre of the deck, turning to face Tanya with her hands on her hips.  
"Let me know when you return to orbit."  
Tanya nodded and activated the Transport Beam.  
"Oh, one more thing Commander. Remember 1994."  
"What?"  
All Chimera heard as the beam took her though, was Tanya shout 'Card', then she was stood in a dark alleyway. Chimera wrinkled her nose at the awful stench and glanced around in disgust. She headed for the lights on the street and as she emerged from the dark, she glanced at the card in her hand.  
oh. Card. It must have a password. 1994. Got it.  
With a shrug of her shoulders, she turned down the street and began looking for a hotel.

Chimera stretched in the morning sunlight that filtered through the window. She rolled over and gazed at the blue sky just visible. She was warm and comfy, had no crew to deal with and was in no rush to go anywhere. The Goa'uld wasn't due to receive her shipment till the following evening. So Chimera was happy to just doze and doze she did, till late in the day. Finally, it was hunger and boredom that drove her to emerge from her slumber. She emerged onto the streets of San Francisco and quickly decided that she liked this city, about as much as she liked Los Angeles. Which was to say, not at all. As she explored the little shops in the side streets, she passed through a small farmer's market. The street was so crowded with people, no one noticed her when she slipped a box of strawberries from one table and a small pot of cream from another.  
Just act confident and like your doing what you're suppose to be doing. Then you get away with all sorts.  
She grinned at her prizes.  
The horror on mothers face if she were here right now. Saying that, I wouldn't be here if she were.  
Chimera shook her head, determined not to dwell on her dead family, when she spotted the large Golden Gate Bridge across the water. She glanced at the sky and saw that the sun would be setting soon.  
Now that would be a hell of a view.  
Turning around to work out the best route to the Bridge, Chimera grinned. Across the road, in a carpark, sat a sleek red convertible. Crossing the road, she purred at the sight of a slender silver cat leaping from the bonnet. Circling the car, the rear claimed it to be a Jaguar XKR Coupe Convertible.  
"This is just so me."  
She slipped a small device from her leather jacket's inner pocket and pressed it against the lock on the car door. A green light flashed several times, before it beeped and the car unlocked. She slid into the soft leather interior and shut the door. Chimera stroked the wheel with a purr, before eyeing up the media centre. she removed the front panel of the media centre and grinned when she found a CAN-Bus connecting everything. She took a second device from another pocket. A precaution in case she had needed transport. She clipped the wires from her small device onto the wires connecting the CAN-Bus to the rest of the car. Using the holographic display that popped up, to run an engine diagnostic, Chimera hacked the car's main systems. She turned of the alarms and GPS, then bypassed the key activation system and grinned when the engine roared to life. She disconnected her computer and replaced the front of the media centre, turning it onto and tapping away to the song that came on.

It's the eye of the tiger  
It's the thrill of the fight  
Rising up to the challenge of our rival  
And the last known survivor  
Stalks his prey in the night  
And he's watchin us all with the eye of the tiger

Stroking the wheel, Chimera laughed.  
"How about we go play kitten, yeah?"  
Revving the engine, Chimera shot out of the parking space and slipped into the traffic, heading for the Golden Gate Bridge.

About halfway across the bridge, Chimera put on the emergency lights and pulled over. There was still space for traffic to bypass her with ease and as expected, they ignored her. At this time of night, there didn't appear to be any pedestrians on the bridge either. Lifting the lid of the convertible, Chimera slipped out of the driver's seat and used the same little device to relock it. She looked up at the large metal wires that held the bridge up. Gripping the bag of strawberries and cream in her mouth, she allowed her nails to form sharp claws and expertly climbed the wires. Height had never bothered her before and it certainly didn't now, as she settled on the flat top of the bridges suspension tower. The red metal was warm from the sun, which was only just starting to sink below the horizon. She stretched out on her belly and watched as the sun turned the ocean and sky a deep blend of pink and orange. Chimera practically purred with delight as she bit into a strawberry. She watched the different ships coming and going from the bay, her eye caught by the swooping dive of seagulls and drawn by the steady hum of passing planes. When she had eaten her fill of strawberries, polishing the pot of cream clean, she stood up and stretched. There was no wind down on the ground, but up on top of the Bridges supports, the wind was toying with her hair. The sun was almost gone and Chimera watched it vanish behind the three islands on the horizon. She made to turn away, but paused with a frown. She glanced back, peering closer at the two islands that sat apart from the third. Her eyesight was sharper than any Humans could ever be, a courtesy of her Feline side. Yet even so, she could barely make out the shimmering that had caught her attention. She stepped closer, her foot brushing the very edge of the tower, as she tried to peer closer. Something about the shimmering seemed familiar, but she could not place where she had seen something like it before. It was not heat rising, for it had a more defined shape and did not spread over the entire horizon. It was confined, but at this distance, she could not tell how or as what. Unable to determine anything more, Chimera stepped back. Shrugging, she gathered up her rubbish and with one more glance to the islands, she made her way back down to the car. The night was young and Chimera was feeling the urge to party.

Dean Winchester took a sip of his whiskey and eyed the girl at the bar with interest. His brother, Sam, was retrieving his laptop from the Impala, but Dean couldn't care less about research at that moment. It had been a long drive and Dean was happy to have finally arrived in San Francisco. They didn't often work in big cities, but Crowley had found some information indicating that the Horseman Pestilence was in the area, preparing to release the Croatoan Virus. Dean huffed into his whiskey. God help them the day they took advice from a Demon. His gaze ran over the girl again and he grinned as she swayed in time with the music playing. She was dressed completely in black, her clothes tight, revealing her curves. Her arms were bare, showing strong muscle and her black hair, which was laced with deep red stripes, hung just past her shoulders. She tossed back the shot she had ordered and Dean frowned when he saw that she was wearing sunglasses. He glanced out of a window, as though confirming it was actually night, before shrugging. She was probably blind. It was highly unlikely that she was something supernatural just because she wore sunglasses. Dean huffed again, watching her more closely. Yeah, okay. This was the Winchesters. Chances were incredibly slim that she was even Human. She slid her sunglasses off, rubbing at her eyes and Dean glanced into the mirror lining the back of the bar in an attempt to see her more clearly. He didn't see anything and drops his gaze as she picks up her leather bikers jacket, turning to pass him to the door. He glanced up and seems to catch her gaze as she passes, giving her a smile that is easily returned. Returned in an almost predatory way as she saunters gracefully past. Dean watches her leave and she turns just enough to glance over her shoulder, sunglasses removed as she grins and his blood runs cold, then the girl is out the door. Dean sits in shock for a mere second, then is out the door and looking for her. He catches a glimpse of her disappearing round a corner to the back of the bar and pulls his phone out, speed dialling Sam.  
"Dean? I'm almost at the bar. What's wrong?"  
"I just saw a Demon, Sam."  
He pulls his gun from the back of his jeans, glancing round to make sure no one saw him as he followed the girl.  
"You sure?"  
His brother sounded concerned.  
"Oh I'm sure. It gets worse though."  
"How does it get worse?"  
"Her eyes were yellow."  
A sharp intake of breath came over the phone and Dean knows he's thinking about Azazel.  
"I'll be there in five."  
Dean doesn't respond, just snaps his phone closed and slips it back into his pocket. He rounds the corner and finds himself in a yard surrounded by an eight foot wall, a small personnel gate set to one side. An eight foot wall with a yellow eyed girl standing on top, hands on her hips and grinning at the Hunter. She didn't seem at all concerned when he aimed his gun at her.  
"Well look at you Handsome, armed and dangerous. My kind of guy."  
Dean rolled his eyes.  
"Yeah, yeah. Like I haven't heard that before. Now, why don't you get down from there, before I put a round in you, bitch."  
The girl snorted.  
Well, aren't you a charmer?"  
She crouched down, hands coming together to clasp between her knees.  
"You know, I would very much appreciate it, if you didn't 'put a round in me' as you say. I rather like this jacket."  
Dean raised an eyebrow.  
"Do I look like I care? What are you even doing here? Crowley send you?"  
The girls smile faded into a look of confusion.  
"Whose Crowley?"  
Dean blinked at her.  
Short British guy. Irritating smart ass with a flair for dramatics."  
The girl seemed to think for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip, which Dean found a little distracting. Finally she shook her head.  
"No, don't know any British guys called Crowley. I know plenty of dramatic smart asses, but none by that name."  
Dean growled, shaking his head to clear it. It had been a long day and she was hot, so sue him.  
"Whatever. You better tell me why you're here, or I swear I will shoot you. I've sent one of you yellow eyed bastards back to Hell before. I can do it again."  
The girl fixed him with a more severe gaze, her expression less playful and more attentive.  
"Hell? That's in Michigan, isn't it? And you're saying you sent one of my kind there? You, have met a Therian? On Earth? But, that's impossible. I have the only ship built by my kind, with the power to get here."  
Deans gun wavered slightly and he frowned.  
"What? No, I do not mean Hell in Michigan. I mean Hell as in down under. Eternal torment. Fire and Brimstone. As in Lucifer and Demons. Heaven and Hell, you know. Hang on, what the fuck is a Therian?"  
The girl raised an eyebrow.  
Heaven and Hell? You are actually being serious? I was told they were just stories, used in one of your many religions, to scare people. Now you're telling me, they are real? And you've sent one of my kind there?"  
Dean was confused. This yellow eyed girl was not making sense. How could she not know about Hell? Why was she talking about ships? Since when did Demons use ships?  
"Yeah. Azazel. You should have heard about him. He was a pretty big deal among the Demons in Hell."  
"And that means I would know him how?"  
Dean barked a short laugh.  
"You can't fool me love. I know you Demons are all up on each others shit. Especially with the boss man walking around. "  
The girl suddenly burst out laughing.  
"Well, I have got to admit, this isn't the first planet to call me a Demon."  
Dean shifted. Where the hell was Sam? This was so not going the way he had expected. The girl straightened up and stretched, her top riding up to show a strip of belly. Dean couldn't help but run his gaze over her, blushing when he met her amused gaze.  
"You know, as much as I would love to stay and chat handsome, I've got things to do, a ship to run, a hunt to follow. So I really need to go."  
Dean frowned up at her.  
"Hang on. You're hunting something?"  
The girl grinned.  
"Yeah. A Goa'uld. Not that it's anything to you."  
"You're hunting a ghoul?"  
The girl rolled her eyes and enunciated the name more.  
"Goa'uld. Cute, but not very bright I see. Oh well, maybe I'll sniff you out when I'm done and we can have some fun."  
"Wait."  
Dean called to her as she stepped backwards with a grin, vanishing behind the wall. Dean shot through the metal personnel gate and emerged onto a quite road. He glanced around, but the street was empty except for a black cat licking its paw.  
"Any chance you saw which way she went?"  
The cat purred, wandering over to bruff against his feet.  
"Yeah, didn't think so."  
He turned back to the bar with a shake of his head.

"You sure she didn't say Ghoul?"  
"Yes Sammy, I'm sure. She actually called me stupid for that same question."  
Dean huffed as he ran a hand over his face. He was tired. Sam had arrived at the bar just as he had rounded the corner leaving the courtyard. They had headed back to the motel room and Dean had detailed his conversation with the yellow eyed girl. Sam was just as confused and currently toying with his laptop. Unfortunately, neither of them had much of an idea what to search for.  
"When I told her, we had sent a yellow eyed demon back to Hell in the past, she thought I meant Hell in Michigan. When I explained where Hell was, she thought I was being funny."  
Sam snorted, leaning back in his chair and looking at his brother, who had flopped back onto the bed.  
"What sort of Demon, doesn't know Hell exists, let alone where it is?"  
Dean threw his hands up with a grunt. Sam took a drink from his beer, frowning with a thought.  
"Maybe she isn't a Demon."  
Dean pushed himself up onto his elbows.  
"Course she was a Demon. I saw her eyes and no one would have been able to jump eight feet from a wall, then disappear into thin air."  
Sam shook his head, leaning forward.  
"I'm not denying that she isn't Human. I'm just saying, maybe she isn't a Demon either."  
Dean frowned in thought, then shrugged.  
"Well, her eyes stayed yellow. They didn't change at all when she blinked. She also said she was hunting this Goa'uld thing or whatever. Not really a Demon's style."  
Sam shook his head.  
"Never heard of a Goa'uld. I'll give Bobby a call in the morning and see what he says. Maybe he'll know something."  
Dean grunted.  
"You should probably mention that she kept going on about Planets and ships. Whatever she is, I don't think she is quite right in the head."  
Sam laughed, draining his beer and packing away his laptop.  
"What's the plan for tomorrow?"  
Dean sat up with a groan.  
"I don't know. Crowley said he'd found information about Pestilence and the Croatoan Virus here. He's suppose to be meeting us at some point."  
"So, we're just trusting Crowley of all people?"  
Dean glowered at him.  
"I don't trust him Sam, but we don't have much to go on. So if you have a better idea, I would sure love to hear it."  
Sam zipped the laptop back shut and frowned.  
"Why don't we see if there are any medical facilities in San Francisco with connections to Niveau Pharmaceuticals."  
Dean nodded.  
"As good a place as any to start."


	3. Midnight

Midnight

Chimera stretched among the sheets of the bed. It had been a good night. After an interesting chat with the strange man at the bar, she had gone out and partied. It hadn't taken long to get bored though. The music had been far too loud, but the drinks had been interesting and the people willing. Admittedly, the variety of drinks had done her no good, judging by the faint pounding in her head. It took a lot of alcohol to affect her, so if she was getting a faint headache, she shuddered to think how her party mates would suffer when they woke, for they had drunk till they passed out. Speaking of party mates, Chimera's gaze settled on the guy to her left, then the girl to her right. She purred contentedly as she stood, leaping gracefully from the bed and landing silently on the wood floor. She gathered her clothes up and ran a hand through her hair. She sauntered into the bathroom and peered at her reflection in the mirror. Chimera was pleased to see that she didn't look to bad, considering. Once dressed, she moved silently back through the bedroom and into the lounge, where she stepped over a man and woman passed out on the floor. A couple of girls were passed out on one couch and another man and woman on the second couch, all in various states of undress. Ignoring them, she headed for the kitchen and hunted down a glass. Chimera poured water out of the tap, but pulled a face as she went to drink it. It stank of chemicals. Chlorine was the strongest. She tipped it down the sink and headed for the fridge.  
What is it with Humans and their insistence in poisoning themselves?  
Chimera looked through the fridge and found a couple of cartons of milk. Grinning, she pulled one out and poured some into her glass. Draining the glass, Chimera grabbed her jacket from the kitchen chair, where it had been draped over and headed to the door. A quick glance at the clock as she passed, told her it was eight in the morning. Chances were slim that any of the Humans would be up before midday and Chimera really wasn't interested in hanging around. As far as she was concerned, they were of no interest. They had met, they had drunk, they had partied. It was a new day and she had a ship to go find. She grinned like a cheshire cat as she sauntered out the door. The docks were the best place to have the meet. The delivery was coming by boat and chances were high that there would be minimal security at night. Lots of big, empty warehouses would ensure privacy and give Chimera a vantage point.

It had taken all day, but Chimera had been able to hack into the computer systems of the Oakland Ports and there she found the Helix, listed as arriving at midnight. The only ship to be arriving that night and had refused all dockside crew.  
"Of course it arrives at midnight. How clichè."  
Chimera muttered to herself, watching the crew of The Helix, as they sorted several large crates onto the back of a large truck on the docks. The Mexican had arrived an hour ago and now they were just waiting for the Goa'uld. Chimera had taken up residence in the shadows of the rafters of a nearby warehouse, eyes glowing slightly in the distant light. She could see and hear them clearly, but they were completely unaware of her presence.  
Like scurrying mice, unaware of the hawk above.  
Her attention was caught by three black sedans arriving, parking in a semicircle facing the ship and it's crew. A few of the crew had stopped to watch, but a harsh word from the Mexican's right hand man had them scurrying back to work. Two men in suits emerged from each of the outer cars, taking up positions by the bonnets. The driver of the middle car, also a man in a suit, opened the back door for his boss, but it wasn't the woman who got out. It was another black suited man. A man, Chimera recognised as one of the guards from the restaurant. Only this time he wasn't wearing a hat and the bright lights on the ship, glinted of something on his forehead. A symbol, to small for her to see clearly, made of gold, was branded into his flesh. Chimera shuddered at the thought. The man peered round the dock with distaste, before approaching the Mexican.  
'Could they look anymore out of place. That many suits should be in an office building, not a dockyard.  
Hector Rodriquez looked thrown by the man's presence, but quickly covered it up with a smile. He held a hand out to the man.  
"I was expecting your employer, Mrs Raymore to be here for the exchange."  
"Mrs Raymore has more pressing issues. Do you have the product?"  
The Jaffa had an arrogant tone to his voice, clearly displaying his distaste. For either the docks or the people, Chimera wasn't sure. He also completely ignored the Mexicans hand. Rodriguez clapped his hands together, chuckling nervously as he eyed up the gold emblem on the bigger man's forehead. He cleared his throat.  
"Do you have my money?"  
The Jaffa waved a hand and one of his men approached with a black briefcase. He held it in both arms, while the leader opened it with a couple of clicks.  
First Prime. The Goa'uld called their Jaffa generals First Primes.  
Chimera thought to herself. She couldn't see inside the case, but judging by Hector's pleased expression, it was exactly what he wanted.  
"Excellent, excellent. I trust it's all there?."  
The First Prime merely gave a curt nod.  
"I want to see the product."  
The Mexican looked up as the case was shut with a snap.  
"Oh of course. Right here."  
Rodriguez clicked his fingers and two of the ship's crew pulled open the doors of the container on the lorry. Chimera leant forward, eyes fixed on the crate they pulled forward and prised open. A layer of packing was removed and the lights reflected of the glittering white crystals within. The Prime stepped forward and picked a large shard up. He inspected it for a moment, before replacing it and turning away. A nod to his men and they were stepping forward, reaching inside their jackets, withdrawing strange Z shaped devices. The Mexican gave a nervous laugh, eyes darting between the suits.  
"I take it, everything is to your satisfaction then? Excellent, then I suggest we part ways now. No need to cause any trouble."  
He reached for the suitcase and backed away a few steps. Before he had gotten far, the dock was lit up by several flashes of blue light. Chimera blinked, rubbing furiously at her ruined vision. When she looked up again, the crew were falling to the ground alongside Hector Rodriguez. She watched as several more of the blue lights hit the bodies again, vanishing into dust when hit a third time. She sniffed the air and hissed as the sharp yet unmistakable scent of high energy lasers filled the air. A couple of the Jaffa boarded The Helix and ensured no crew onboard were left alive. She watched as they returned, nodding to the First Prime, who spun on his heel and headed to his car. One of the men got into the lorry and started it up, following the first car that turned for the road. Chimera quickly slipped from the rafters and landed silently by the doors. Slipping through, she rounded the Jaguar that she had hidden between two fishing boats. Just as she opened the driver side door, a sound of metal on stone had her spinning round, crouching low. Chimera straightened up though when she saw two men hiding behind some barrels, wide eyed and pale. Their clothes were ratty and they looked underfed and dirty. Men with no homes, who had just seen something unexplainable, now watching her with fear. Chimera smiled softly at them, placed a finger to her lips and slipped into the Jaguar. She hunkered down in the seat as she started the car up and watched as, moments later, the three black sedans and the lorry drove past. Revving the engine, she backed out and followed them.


	4. Another Trail

Another Trail

Ronon could hear the smack of wood on wood, before he even entered the Training Room. It was followed by a heavy thud and he walked in to see Sheppard on his back, Teyla crouched above him, pressing a bantos rod to his neck. Both were breathing heavily and they glanced up at Ronon, who just smirked, crossing his arms as he leant against the wall. Teyla stood, offering Sheppard a hand, who accepted with a smile, groaning as he stood.  
"That hurt."  
Teyla smiled at Sheppard as she took his Bantos rods.  
"You are improving though Colonel. It is getting harder to take you down."  
"You think so?"  
Sheppard rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. Ronon snorted, receiving a glare from the Atlantean. Teyla shook her head in amusement as she hung the Bantos rods on a rack on the wall.  
"Shall we go have lunch? I believe Doctor Beckett had plans to remove Rodney from his lab and then join us."  
It was Sheppards turn to snort, as he grabbed his water bottle and headed for the door.  
"We should have plenty of time to get to the cafeteria then."  
He slipped his radio back into his ear and the two Pegasus natives followed, sharing an amused look. Suddenly, Sheppard paused, one hand coming up to his ear as he listened.  
"Yes sir."  
He glanced at his team mates for a moment, before turning around and bruskly heading down the hallway.  
"I'm with Teyla and Ronon. We're on our way."  
He tapped his radio, signalling the end of his conversation.  
"What's going on?"  
Ronon asked, his long stride easily keeping pace with Sheppards.  
"Woolsey says we have a mission, sent over from General Landry."  
"Who is General Landry?"  
Teyla asked from his other side.  
"He's the General in charge of Stargate Command, the base where they keep Earth's Stargate."  
"Does that mean, that the mission will take place on Earth?"  
Sheppard shrugged.  
"I guess so. Not like we have a working gate."  
It didn't take them long to get to the Gate Room and they found Woolsey in the Conference Room, along with Doctor Rodney Mckay, who was too busy tapping away on his tablet to notice anything else. Once they had all sat down, Woolsey leant forward, hands linked together.  
"General Landry wants you to check out a disturbance reported in the Oakland Ports in San Francisco."  
"What sort of disturbance?"  
"We're not entirely certain but it is suspected as potential Goa'uld activity."  
Sheppard glanced up sharply.  
"Goa'uld activity? We have no experience in dealing with the Goa'uld."  
Woolsey nodded.  
"I know, but for now, it is just a check up on some suspicious calls to the police. Phone calls speaking of bright blue flashes of light and strange high pitched noises. When a couple of uniforms went to check it out, the only thing they found was a large cargo ship, whose entire crew have vanished. One of the calls was from a homeless man in the area who spoke of several men armed with strange looking guns, who shot the crew several times, resulting in the bodies disappearing into ash. When no blood was found on the scene, the local police figured it was a hoax. General Landry is concerned that what the homeless man witnessed was actually Zat'nik'tel."  
Rodney rolled his eyes.  
"We're running around on the word of some homeless guy on the street? I thought the Goa'uld had been destroyed long before the Ori showed up."  
Woolsey scowled slightly.  
"It has been decided that any potential threats should be chased up and dealt with. Saying that, I would rather give you some random rumour to chase, then hear about yet another lab you've blown up."  
Rodney huffed but said nothing and Teyla leant forward in her seat, gaining Woolseys attention.  
"If this was the work of the Goa'uld, what will we be required to do?"  
"If possible, track them down and bring them in. SG1 are standing by in case you need help."  
Sheppard nodded. It was nice to know they would have the backup of a team use to facing the Goa'uld.  
"When do we head out?"  
"There is a boat arriving in two hours."  
Rodney threw up his hands.  
"Oh come on. I have experiments set up that need careful calibration."  
He quieted down at Woolseys glare.  
"I'm sure Doctor Zelenka can manage."  
Sheppard dragged Rodney out of the room before he could continue ranting, not that it seemed to make a difference. They could hear Rodney ranting at Sheppard instead, but the soldier just kept walking, nodding periodically.

Sheppard parked in the Oakland Ports, unknowingly in the exact same spot the Jaffa had parked. Opposite them, silent and dark, sat The Helix, whose crew had been reported missing. Sheppard glanced round at the docks, watching lorries moving cargo and cranes shifting large containers, all interspersed with the racket of power tools as people worked. He glanced at Rodney who, having already pulled out a scanner, was walking around on the pier, eyes fixed to the readings.  
"Anything yet?"  
Rodney waved a hand distractedly and Sheppard wandered closer to The Helix. He looked up at the ship and frowned. How could the entire crew of a cargo ship just vanish and what had caused the lights so many had reported seeing? He turned back to Rodney, who had come to a stop in the middle of the dock and was about to pester for the readings again, when he noticed someone watching them, stood by the doors of a large warehouse. The man was peering cautiously around the corner of the building and when he realised he had been noticed, he fled.  
"Wait."  
Sheppard called out, running after him, breezing past Rodney who looked up baffled. Ronon had vanished but Teyla was already following Sheppard. He rounded the warehouse, expecting the man to be long gone, only to find the man pinned to the wall by none other than Ronon, struggling against the Satedans iron grip. Sheppard clapped Ronon on the shoulder.  
"You can let him go Ronon, he won't run, will you?"  
The man scowled fiercely, before he lowered his gaze and nodded. The Lieutenant Colonel gave him an easy smile, removing his sunglasses as Ronon let go of the man's coat and stepped back. Ronon though, had no intention to put the man at ease and continued to scowl at him.  
"Don't mind him, he's actually quite friendly once you get to know him. Just takes a bit to get to know him."  
"What do you want?"  
The man snapped, his voice rough. He twisted a beanie between his hands and fidgeted restlessly. Sheppard screwed his nose up at the stench of alcohol and sweat.  
"I want to ask why you were watching us?"  
The man shrugged sullenly.  
"You're different. It's obvious you don't work here. Was curious, that's all."  
Sheppard raised an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, that's why you ran."  
Rodney muttered from behind the Colonel. Sheppard ignored him, running his gaze over their scruffy captive. His clothes were a size too big, worn through in places and filthy. His face was weather worn and he was in desperate need of a shave and haircut. Sheppard estimated he was somewhere between his mid fifties, early sixties.  
"Why did you run? A lot of people watch newcomers, but they don't usually run when they are caught watching."  
The man shuffled, looking around as though to find an escape. Ronon shifted slightly, as though to remind the man that he could try to run, but he would not get far. The man pressed back against the wall, glaring at Ronon.  
"Why do you care? I tried telling them before, but no one believes me. I'm just a mad old drunk."  
The man spat the last words with contempt and Sheppard frowned.  
"Who doesn't believe you?"  
The man shrugged.  
"The cops and those two feds in suits that came around asking questions. Who else? Came round looking for bright lights and missing people. I told them what I saw, but they just laughed and told me to go easy on the beer."  
Sheppard snorted.  
"What feds?"  
The man glowered at the Colonel.  
"Two men in suits. They had badges claiming they were with the FBI. Looked genuine."  
Sheppard glanced at Rodney, exchanging a confused look. With SGC ordering them to look into this, the FBI and any other agency should have been called of already. Shaking his head, Sheppard decided to look into it later.  
"Why don't you tell us, what you told them?"  
The man gave him a sour look.  
"Do I look stupid? I made that mistake yesterday, I'm not making that one again."  
Ronon growled but Sheppard raised a hand to stop him doing anything rash. When the man twitched again, Sheppard thought he saw a flash of light on his chest under his jacket.  
"What's your name?"  
All he received, was another glare. So he stuck out a hand, hoping he was right.  
"My name is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard of the United States Air Force."  
The man froze, eyes narrowing as he looked at Sheppard.  
"You're a flyboy?"  
"Yes I am. Flew in Afghanistan. You?"  
The man hesitated a moment, before his shoulders slumped and he shook Sheppard's hand.  
"Captain Frank Henry, honourable discharge. Fought in Vietnam. How did you know?"  
Sheppard grinned.  
"Saw something round your neck. Took a lucky guess that they were dogtags."  
The man grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets.  
"So, why's the military scouting round the docks?"  
Sheppard grinned.  
"To find out what happened on the docks the other night. Find out what you saw."  
The retired Captain raised an eyebrow and huffed.  
"What's it to the flyboys? This is home soil. You got no rights here."  
"It's classified."  
Frank snorted again, rubbing his nose on the back of a grubby hand, before shoving it into a jacket pocket.  
"So, you're one of those flyboys, eh? All blacked out files and secret missions. What about your friends? They don't exactly look like military personnel."  
Sheppard shrugged.  
"Sort of. These are my team. We are part of an international research base. This is Doctor Rodney Mckay and these are two of our civilian contractors, Teyla Emmagan and Ronon Dex. Now Frank, how about the reason we are all here? What did you see?"  
Frank sighed, glancing around once more as he twitched. Sheppard suspected the cops weren't far off with the drunkenness. The twitching was definitely either drug or alcohol withdrawal, if not both.  
"Bunch of men in suits came round the other night. They met the people on the big ship, Helix and they killed them. Killed them with this blue light. It would hit them two, three times and then the bodies just vanished. Poof, turned to ash."  
"You saw them?"  
The man nodded rapidly.  
"Yeah, me and a mate of mine. We both saw them. Tried to tell the police, but they didn't believe me. Told them about the girl to. The girl with the fancy car, but they thought I was making it all up. Thought I was drunk or something. I can't help it if that's the only way I can stop the dreams."  
Teyla lay a gentle hand on the man's shoulder, causing him to flinch. He gave her a small smile though.  
"Did these people see you or your friend?"  
He shook his head instantly, then paused.  
"Wait, actually, yes. The girl, she saw us, but she didn't seem to mind. She just told us to be quiet and drove away. She smiled all nice and that. I don't think they knew she was there either."  
Sheppard frowned in thought.  
"What makes you say that?"  
Frank nodded his head to the warehouse.  
"Cause she came slinking out of this building and when they drove past, she hunkered down out of sight."  
Can you describe the girl? Was there anything noticeable about her?"  
The man seemed to think for a minute.  
"I remember it was a really fancy car. Some red convertible with a cat on the front."  
"A Jaguar?"  
Frank nodded quickly.  
"Yeah, yeah I think so and she was real pretty. I mean really pretty, but her eyes, they were strange."  
Sheppard glanced at his team, crossing his arms.  
"Strange how?"  
Frank shrugged.  
"Well, this is going to sound crazy."  
"More so then everything else you have said?"  
Sheppard glowered at Rodney, who just shrugged. He indicated for Frank to go on and the former soldier sighed.  
"He's right. It's crazy, but I know what I saw and it wasn't through drink. Saying that, I might have been mistaken about the girl. It was dark and it could have just been some of those fancy contacts kids wear nowadays, or maybe just the light reflecting."  
"Ignore Rodney. He doesn't have a filter between his mouth and his brain at times."  
Ronon and Teyla smiled at the scientists indignant squawk.  
"What did you see, or think you saw?"  
Sheppard went on and Frank crossed his arms, eyes on the floor as he scowled.  
"It looked like she had yellow eyes. Deep gold eyes, like a cat. I only saw them for a moment, but that's what her eyes looked like. Yellow eyes, like a cat."

Chimera watched the large mansion from across the road. It was clearly a rich neighbourhood. She had followed the convoy to a large pharmaceutical company, where the lorry had been left in the hands of several workers. The three cars though, had left again and vanished through the wrought iron gates of this large house. She had parked the Jaguar just down the road, surveying the place from a distance. So far, she had seen guards at the gate, all wearing hats that covered their foreheads. She had also heard dogs on the perimeter, so that was going to be fun. She had seen the woman, Anna, through one of the large windows, speaking to a man in a suit, smoking a cigar as he lounged beside her.  
'Two Goa'uld, working together? That is going to work so well, not.'  
She had seen them both going over paperwork in an office that morning and now, Chimera wanted to look at it. Just a few minutes ago, a black limousine had gone through the gates and she saw the Goa'uld leave the office, no doubt to greet their guest. It was a good time to sneak in, everyone would be distracted. Chimera glanced around, checking for cameras or people, then slipped out of the Jaguar and into the bushes around the edge of the property. Safely concealed from prying eyes, she scaled the wall with ease. She silently landed on the other side, eyes scanning the surrounding garden, motionless. Chimera slipped out of the shadows and quickly made her way up the path, only to round the corner and find herself face to face with a large black and tan dog. Both froze for a second in surprise and then it growled, baring it's teeth as it hunkered down. Chimera scowled in annoyance. She closed her eyes for a second, then growled low and deep. The dog seemed to stop growling, it's whole body tensing up as she opened her eyes. They had changed to a deep purple, her skin was darkening to a sapphire blue and her canines were elongating into sabre like fangs. Fur flowed from her skin as she started to grow in size, her nails forming into long claws. She snarled and the dog fled. Chimera allowed the shift to leave her and grinned as she returned to her more human form. It was always fun to scare things of. She heard voices getting closer and slipped into a more earthly feline form, a domestic tabby. slipping into the bushes around the garden, she crept closer and found two people entering the house, laden down with boxes. Chimera swiftly slipped into the house, before the door could be shut and vanished into the nearest room.  
'Of course, I managed to find the kitchen. Where else would I end up.'  
It was sheer luck, that the kitchen was currently empty.  
'Lets hope I pay better attention this time.'  
Chimera thought to herself, thinking back to her eventful encounter in Los Angeles. She padding under the large table and through an open door on the other side. Checking there was no one nearby, she slipped through into a corridor, slinking quietly from shadow to shadow. She paused to peer through an open door and saw a man sat drinking what smelt like coffee. He leant forward, placing the mug on the coffee table, smiling at someone opposite him. Whoever it was though, was hidden by the door.  
"Everything is going smoothly. Your delivery arrived last night and the labs are processing it already. In fact, I believe we may be able to process faster then anticipated."  
"Excellent. I am pleased to hear that. How soon can we begin testing?"  
Chimera's tail twitched. That was the voice of the woman from the restaurant. The man settled back into his seat.  
"A few weeks. I just need to know where to send the completed product for distribution. I can organise the paperwork and the scientists assure me, they only need a few weeks. A month at most, but they are optimistic that they can do it in half the time."  
Another male voice spoke this time.  
"We will use the Travis Air Base as our testing ground."  
The man nodded.  
"Excellent. Close by but contained."  
Chimera slipped away from the room, more interested in finding the office while the risk of being caught was minimal. She padded down the carpeted hallway and found another door that was not quite closed. nudging it with her nose, she slipped inside and gave a pleased rumble when she saw it was the office. Changing back to her human form, she carefully closed the door and hurried to the desk.


	5. Goa'uld and Shifters

Goa'uld and Shifters

Dean parked the Impala and switched of the engines. He scanned the street and was suddenly elbowing Sam. Sam, who had been watching the house through a gap in the hedges, threw him a questioning look.  
"That look like a red jaguar to you?"  
Sam nodded at the convertible just down the road.  
"This house is owned by Anna and Pierce Kennedy, who own Bains Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary business to Nouveau Pharmaceutical. The man on the docks said he saw a woman with yellow eyes get into a jaguar and that one matches the plates from the security cameras."  
"And yellow eyes mean Demons. Looks like we have our place."  
Dean finished, glancing at the house. Through the hedge, he could make out an ornate garden and an office with large windows.  
"What did Bobby have to say?"  
Sam asked, scrolling through something on his phone. Dean shrugged.  
"Not much. He said it didn't sound like a Demon, but wasn't sure what it was. Not knowing about Hell, was plain weird. Add onto that the talk about planets and ships, confused even Bobby. He did pick up on one thing though. The creature called itself a Therian. Bobby says it's an ancient Greek word, meaning Shifter."  
Sam frowned in thought.  
"As in Shapeshifter?"  
"He thinks so, but her description doesn't match a typical Shifter."  
Dean scanned the street again. The meeting with the yellow eyed girl had been bugging him. Something had felt of about her and nothing had phased her. Not even having a gun pointed at her. Then they had heard on the police scanner about an entire cargo ship's crew going missing and a mad homeless drunk talking about strange scifi phasers that disintegrated bodies. They had explored less though and when drivers reported blue flashes in the sky above the docks, they were determined to find out what was going on. They had found out the owner of The Helix was Hector Rodriguez, a Mexican businessman suspected of illegal smuggling. A bit more digging had revealed dinner with Anna Kennedy two days before his disappearance. With mention of a yellow eyed woman with an expensive red jaguar and Anna Kennedy owning a subsidiary of the company releasing the Croatoan Virus, it didn't take rocket science to put two and two together. Dean just hoped they weren't coming out with five. He glanced at the house and swore.  
"Son of a bitch."  
Sam looked at him, then followed his gaze to the house. A pretty young woman with striped black and grey hair ending in white, was leaning over the desk.  
"What?"  
"That's the girl from the bar."  
Sam turned to look at the girl once more. He pulled up a picture on his phone.  
"Well she definitely isn't Anna Kennedy."  
He showed Dean the picture of Anna Kennedy and her husband at a charity function. Dean scowled, pulling his gun out the glove compartment and checking it's clip.  
"Then who the hell is she?"  
Sam shrugged, checking the house once more. He elbowed his brother and pointed. In the office, the girl had paused, looking at the door with her head cocked to one side, still as a statue. Suddenly, she started rearranging the desk again, glancing at the door periodically. The next thing they knew, a tabby cat was crouched on the desk, tail twitching as it leapt down and through the door, startling a man in a black suit as it opened.  
"Well, looks like Bobby was right. She's a shifter."  
Dean grunted.  
"Let's see if she's more willing to talk this time."  
The boys got out the Impala, hiding their guns under their suit jackets and crossed the road, darting down an alley along the side of the house. Just as they hit the other end of the alley, they were met by two guns.  
"Hands in the air."  
The short haired man said. He spoke with obvious authority and his large companion grinned menacingly. The second man was easily Sam's height, with large muscles and a head of dreadlocks. His gun was a strange design, with a red light at the end. The Winchester's exchanged a look and raised their hands. They didn't much fancy their chances when a black van pulled up behind the men and a young caramel skinned woman pointed a gun from behind them.  
'That looks like military grade weapons.'  
Dean thought to himself as the dark haired male cuffed them.  
"You're coming with us."  
He relieved the boys of their own guns.  
"Nice piece."  
He said when he saw Dean's ivory hilted, engraved gun. Dean grunted and they were shoved into the van and blindfolded.  
"Oh come on, what is this?"  
No one answered as the van took of.

After talking to Frank on the Oakland Docks, Sheppard had called Woolsey with an update. The Atlantis Commander had gone on to call the FBI and find the red jaguar, but Rodney had gotten bored and done it himself. His readings on the pier had confirmed high energy devices had been used. In fact, they had matched readings taken from Zat'nik'tels. The girl with yellow glowing eyes had confirmed their suspicions, but some things were not adding up. So Rodney had hacked into the security footage from the Oakland Docks and found three black sedans escorting a container to the south. Seconds later, a red jaguar had followed them, also heading south. It had been too dark to see the driver, but they managed to use the street cameras to follow it. The jaguar had parked outside a house listed to Anna and Pierce Kennedy, who owned the company where the container was delivered. What didn't add up, was that there was no such container listed anywhere at the docks or even listed as arriving at the company. Add to that, the jaguar listed as stolen and something strange was clearly going on. They had just arrived at the house, driving a nondescript black van. Sheppard turned the ignition off and pulled out his ringing phone, seeing it was Woolsey.  
"Sir."  
"Colonel Sheppard. I hear you tracked down the car."  
"Yes sir. We just arrived at the Kennedy house and have it in sight. I was planning on bringing in the driver once they set of."  
Sheppard heard Woolsey shuffle paperwork on his desk.  
"Good idea Colonel. I got in touch with the FBI. You might like to know that they have no idea who your informant spoke to. They have no Agents in the San Francisco area and none listed as dealing with this case."  
Sheppard scanned the street as Woolsey spoke and paused.  
"Really? That's interesting. Our informant also mentioned something else just before we left."  
"What was it?"  
Sheppard smiled.  
"He said they were driving an old classic car. Some kind of Chevy and I'm currently looking at a 1967 Chevrolet Impala just a few cars down from the stolen red Jaguar."  
"Can you see the driver?"  
Beside Sheppard, Teyla was leaning forward, peering at the vehicle.  
"I can see two men in the front Colonel."  
Woolsey could hear her and responded before Sheppard could say anything.  
"Bring them in if they seem suspicious Colonel."  
"Yes sir."  
It was mere moments after hanging up, that the occupants of the Impala got out, slipping something under their jackets. Sheppard suspected it was guns.  
"Teyla, follow them. Rodney, we're going to pin them at the other end of the alley and take them in. See who they are. I want you to drive the van while Ronon and I confront them."  
Teyla was out of the van before he finished speaking, already able to predict the plan. Sheppard quickly started the van and spun it round on the quiet road, heading for a road to the next street just two houses down. Ronon was out before the van stopped and Rodney took Sheppard's place at the wheel as he got out, pulling the clip back on his gun. They rounded the end of the alley and ran straight into the two men, who were remarkably tall.  
"Hands in the air."  
The two men stopped in surprise and slowly raised their hands, exchanging an exasperated look, as though this was a common thing to happen. Sheppard heard the van pull up behind him, hiding them from prying eyes. The shorter of the two men sensed the moment Teyla took up her position behind them, eying her with a slight tilt of his head.  
"You're coming with us."  
John lowered his weapon, pulling cuffs from his jacket. He had grabbed them on his way out the van, preferring the prisoners to be restrained until they could determine if they were a threat. Once they were cuffed, Sheppard removed the guns he had seen them hide and nodded to Ronon, then the van.  
"Nice piece."  
He said to the shorter man as they were shoved into the van. The man grunted in response but said nothing until they were blindfolded. Then he complained. Sheppard ignored him as he got back behind the wheel, Rodney having moved to the passenger seat. He placed the two guns on the dashboard and drove the van back the way they came, passing the front of the Kennedy House. A squad car had arrived, parking alongside the red Jaguar so it couldn't be taken again and Sheppard gave them a nod as he drove past. Something moved out the corner of his eye and he smiled as he saw a small tabby watching them drive by from the top of the Kennedys garden wall.

Chimera heard movement from the hallway and froze, cocking her head to one side as she listened. She could just make out someone ordering for a document from their office. She glanced down at the paperwork she was rifling through and cursed. It was time to leave. She reorganised the desk back to how it was and swiftly changed into her tabby form. The window wasn't an option as she could see it was locked, so she was going to have to dart through the door. Chimera crouched low on the edge of the desk and as soon as the door opened, she launched. The man in the doorway let out a yelp of surprise, but she was already gone, down the hall and back into the kitchen. It was still empty and she smoothly changed back just long enough to open the door and slip through. Breathing a sigh of relief that she successfully got out of the house, she quietly slipped through the undergrowth in the garden, heading for the wall. Chimera avoided a man and dog that wandered past at one point, finding herself further round on the road then when she entered the property. Chimera leapt up onto the wall and glanced around. A black van was approaching and she watched it, twitching her tail as she recognised the driver.  
'Sheppard? No, it can't be. What's he doing on Earth? Maybe he is on leave. Brilliant, I can look him up when I'm done with this hunt. Be good to catch up.'  
Chimera felt her good mood disappear though when she saw the police around the Jaguar.  
'Damn. There goes my ride. I liked that car.'  
She huffed, slipping into human form as she leapt onto the road. Chimera slipped on a pair of sunglasses and sauntered down the road, watching the cops from the corner of her eye. She walked straight past them and they didn't even give her a second glance. Her steps slowed though as she came up to a sleek black car on her side of the road. It was gorgeous. Sleek, black, shiny. It looked old compared to the cars around it, so Chimera guessed it was one of those 'Classic' cars Lorne had mentioned whenever they talked. She grinned, approaching the driver's side of the car and slipping out the small unlocking device she carried in her jacket. To her surprise though, the door open without the device, already unlocked. She slid smoothly into the leather interior and grinned at the keys in the ignition. Someone was certainly looking out for her. Then Chimera frowned, taking a deep breath. The scent in the car was familiar, but where from? There was a second scent she didn't recognise at all, but the driver seat smelt of someone she had met. She pressed her nose to the side of the seat, closing her eyes as she breathed in. Oh yes, she knew the scent and she liked it, rubbing her face against the leather. Opening her eyes, she saw a leather jacket laid out over the backseat and knew who the car belonged to instantly. The man from the bar had worn that jacket and she now recognised the smell of his cologne, the oil of his gun and his underlying natural scent, tinged with the tang of whiskey. She leaned back in the seat and drummed her fingers on the wheel.  
"How did he track me down?"  
She muttered to herself.  
'Who is he? What is he?'  
She glanced through the window as she thought and noticed the two cops at the Jaguar, were being joined by a second squad car.  
'I'll figure this out somewhere a little more private.'  
Chimera twisted the key and grinned at the deep growl that came from the engine. She pulled the car out, turning it away from the cops and sped away to find somewhere quiet.


	6. Truth or Lie?

Truth or Lie?

Dean huffed as he paced the cell. It was unusual compared to anywhere they had been held before. A large square structure in the middle of a dimly lit room, with horizontal bars. What had really surprised the two boys, was the blue light between the bars, that zapped them when touched, making the cell practically inescapable.  
"This case is turning into a bloody Star Trek episode. Flashing lights in the sky, lasers vaporizing people and now prison cells with forcefields. When did our life turn so weird?"  
Sam snorted from where he sat on the floor.  
"Seriously Dean? We hunt ghosts and Demons and your asking when our life turned weird?"  
Dean opened his mouth to answer, but found he couldn't and shrugged. He went back to pacing and Sam noticed the two Marines guarding the door, exchange a baffled look. They must have heard what they were saying, but before Sam could give it much thought, he saw the guards straightened to attention. The short haired man who had arrested them, was the first through the door, followed by the rest of his team. Sam stood up and moved closer to his brother, both watching their captors.  
"What were you doing outside the Kennedy's house?"  
Dean shrugged.  
"Sightseeing?"  
Sam fought against a smile and rolled his eyes. The soldier didn't look impressed by the answer.  
"Sightseeing?"  
Dean didn't say a word. The man crossed his arms.  
"I take it then that you were just sightseeing at the Oakland Ports as well, when you were asking around about the crew of The Helix?"  
Sam frowned.  
"Who are you?"  
The soldier turned his gaze onto Sam and was silent for a moment.  
"Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard of the United States Air Force."  
The Winchesters exchanged a confused look.  
"Why are the Air Force interested in us?"  
Dean asked with a frown.  
"You're interfering in a military case."  
Sam crossed his own arms.  
"The military have no jurisdiction on home soil."  
The soldier smiled.  
"Neither do the dead, yet your brother is looking remarkably good for it. This is a classified case."  
Deans eyes narrowed.  
"Say again?"  
Sheppard turned and held out a hand to the short woman beside him.  
"Teyla?"  
She gave him a sheet of paper and he shoved it close to the bars.  
"Your death certificate, from St Louis, Missouri, I believe."  
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. He remembered that case. A shapeshifter had been taking on the shape of different people and then beaten their loved ones close to death, resulting in the actual people being sent to jail, for a crime they didn't commit. It had ended with the Shapeshifter taking Deans shape and getting shot by the man himself.  
"Care to explain?"  
Dean glanced at Sam, who just nodded.  
"Shapeshifter."  
The Colonel paused, blinking uncertainly at them. The little man with the tablet snorted, looking up for the first time since he had entered the room.  
"Seriously? That's what you're going with?"  
The woman, Teyla, looked between the men with confusion.  
"What is the matter with his answer?"  
Sheppard shook his head and lowered his arm.  
"Shapeshifters are mythical creatures that could change their shape from one form to another. For example, it could look like you, then change to look like Ronon. Think Mystique in X-Men. Only problem is, they don't exist."  
Dean smirked.  
"Oh they do. We hunt them."  
Dean was expecting sceptical looks, which the man with the tablet was certainly giving him, but the Colonel was frowning slightly. Teyla exchanged a look with the silent dreadlocked man in the shadows.  
"You hunt Shapeshifters?"  
Sam nodded at Sheppard.  
"Oh come on, pull the other leg. There is no such things as Shapeshifters on Earth."  
The man with the tablet exclaimed loudly.  
"You've seen them before, haven't you?"  
Sam glanced at Dean, who was watching the Colonel. Sheppard's gaze met Deans and his jaw tightened, eyes narrowing.  
"What makes you say that?"  
Dan grinned.  
"You have that look. Like you've seen things you can't explain."  
Sam shifted beside him and Sheppard shook his head.  
"Just sounds like stories to me."  
"It's not just Shapeshifters that we hunt. There are Ghosts, Wendigo, Werewolves, Vampires, Angels and Demons. Dean's right. Anything you've ever read about, we hunt."  
Sam added.  
"Yep. We are actually in the process of trying to stop Lucifer and Michael from kicking of the Apocalypse."  
Sheppard raised both eyebrows at that.  
"Do you know just how insane you sound?"  
Dean shrugged.  
"Trust me, I know. Had this problem many times."  
Sheppard rubbed a hand over his eyes.  
"So, why were you outside the Kennedys house? What were you hunting?"  
The man with the tablet huffed in disbelief.  
"Are you seriously going to listen to them Sheppard?"  
"Shut up Rodney."  
Sam glanced at the big man in the corner who had remained silent through everything. His arms were crossed and he watched everyone with an intense gaze. The two marines at the door, were watching their Colonel with interest.  
"We think they are actually Demons. We were heading to intercept a girl we saw in their office. I met her a few days ago. She had the same yellow eyes of a high power Demon, but in the house, we saw her Shapeshift. We wanted to know what she was and what the Demons were planning."  
Sheppard frowned, his body tensing slightly at the mention of the yellow eyed girl.  
"A shapeshifting girl with yellow eyes?"  
Dean shrugged, eying the Colonel curiously.  
"Yeah. We saw her through the window and she changed into a cat when someone entered the office."  
Sheppard exchanged a look with his team.  
"These yellow eyes, what do they mean to you?"  
Dean sighed, but it was Sam who answered.  
"The eyes indicate a Demon's place in the hierarchy. Black is the lowest level. Red means they are crossroads Demons. The ones you go to, to make a ten year deal in exchange for your soul."  
Dean picked it up from there. Sam watched the Colonel more closely.  
"Yellow means they are in command. Like a General and White is the overall leader. Lilith was a white eyed Demon. She was the only one who could break the final seal on Lucifer's cage."  
Before Sheppard could come up with a response to that, Sam decided to take a chance.  
"The shifter was strange though."  
Everyone, including Dean, looked at him strangely. Sam shrugged at his brother. He was playing on a hunch.  
"How so?"  
Sam smiled when the Colonel asked.  
"Well, for one, her eyes. A shifters eyes don't glow unless you are looking at them through a camera. Hence we thought she was a Demon."  
Dean nodded, realising what Sam was doing.  
"She talked funny to. When I talked to her, she kept mentioning ships and planets. Called herself a Therian."  
The Winchester's knew they had gotten it right. Rodney's head snapped up and the silent mountain of muscle shifted slightly, straightening up from the wall. Teyla and Sheppard exchanged a look, but before anything could be said, the Colonel's earpiece beeped.  
Colonel Sheppard sir?  
"Yes. What is it?"  
He placed a hand to his ear and turned slightly away from their prisoners.  
We went looking for the black Chevy Impala sir and uh,  
"What is it?"  
Well sir, there is no car here matching your description.  
Sheppard frowned.  
"What do you mean it's not there? A black, 67, chevrolet Impala."  
He noticed offhandedly that the older brothers head shot up at that.  
No sir. No black Chevrolets of any kind. The red Jaguar is still here and the police are canvassing the area for any witnesses on who took it. A couple of the cops said that a young woman in a leather jacket took a black Impala sir. We estimated it to be just after you picked up your prisoners sir.  
Sheppard rolled his eyes.  
"So, whoever stole the Jaguar, saw the car with the police and stole the Impala instead."  
The Colonel was briefly distracted by the sudden explosion of creative swearing behind him. He looked round to see Sam lay a hand on his brother's shoulder, who looked like he was about to have an aneurism.  
Looks like it sir.  
"Find me that car. It's looking like this girl is important somehow."  
yes sir.  
The line cut of and Sheppard turned back to his ghost hunting prisoners.  
'Who is this girl? Could it be?'  
He brushed the thought away, shaking his head.  
"Are you really telling me, that she took my car?"  
Sheppard frowned, raising an eyebrow at the man.  
"yeah. Sorry about that."  
The glare he received in response was almost as scary as the Wraith. Almost.  
He left the Brig and it's occupants, his team following and his thoughts whirling. Dean turned to Sam.  
"She stole my car Sam."  
He growled angrily.  
"We don't know that."  
Sam winced at the glare Dean levelled at him.  
"Okay, it's a pretty good guess and everyone believes it."  
Dean started pacing again and Sam wondered how long it would be before the bars melted under the man's glare. Even the Marines looked nervous. He sat back on the floor and watched his brother stew.  
"We will get it back Dean, but first we need to figure out how to get out of here."  
Dean snorted.  
"Well, telling the truth didn't work. Go figure."  
"I don't know."  
Dean paused, raising an eyebrow at his brother. Sam shrugged.  
"Just, it seemed like that Colonel partly believed us."  
Dean sighed, slumping to the floor beside Sam.  
"Yeah, I thought we were getting through to, especially with that strange girl, but he sure didn't seem convinced when he left."  
"They seem to know what a Therian is and the talk of planets and ships didn't phase them."  
Dean grunted.  
"Yet they don't believe in ghosts and Demons. Who are they?"  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
"So, what are we going to do?"  
"Well, we aren't getting out on our own."  
Dean said, tapping at the forcefield around the cell and cursing at the pain that shot up his arm. Sam rolled his eyes.  
"So I guess I could try calling Castiel. If nothing else, it will prove we weren't lying about Angels."  
Dean closed his eyes, tilting his head forward.  
"Cas, we could really do with some help here. We can't get out of this jail on our own. So if you could get your feathery ass here pronto, it would be appreciated."  
He opened one eye and slumped when nothing happened. Even the Marines had broken formation to peer in curiously. Eventually they shrugged and went back to staring ahead. Dean tried again. It was going to be a long night.

Sheppard stopped in one of the hallways, personnel hurrying past on their own missions. He rubbed the back of his neck, gazing out of a window at the island that hid Atlantis from San Francisco's view.  
"Are we really going to believe they hunt monsters?"  
Sheppard turned to Rodney and shrugged.  
"After everything we have seen in the Pegasus Galaxy, can we really dispute it?"  
Rodney made to say something, but Sheppard waved a hand to cut him of.  
"Either way, we can definitely say they have seen something that's not from Earth."  
Rodney scowled.  
"What?"  
Teyla rolled her eyes and Ronon smirked. Sheppard just gave Rodney a dirty look.  
"Yellow eyed girl who changes into a cat and talks about planets? Ring any bells? We only know one Therian."  
"Chimera."  
Ronon said quietly. Rodney huffed. He had recognised the name, but there was no way she could have made it to Earth.  
"Do you really think it could be her Colonel?"  
Teyla asked, but it was Rodney who replied.  
"No way. She left us in the Pegasus Galaxy. There is no way she could have gotten to Earth without a ship."  
"Unless she met the Travellers."  
Sheppard added. Rodney paused before shaking his head.  
"They don't have strong enough Hyperdrives."  
"Except we all know she was smart enough to run circles around you and Zelenka. If she met the Traveller's, Chimera could have given them what they needed to boost the Hyperdrive and make it to this Galaxy."  
That quietened Rodney for a moment.  
"Why would she do that?"  
Ronon queried.  
"Perhaps she wanted to help them find safety and a fresh start away from the Wraith."  
Teyla suggested after some thought.  
"Well, if that's the case, she should have a ship in orbit. We can find it if we do a scan."  
"Unless she just got dropped of."  
Sheppard argued, then sighed.  
"Do it anyway Rodney. Might as well be certain and I doubt she would want to stay stranded on Earth for the rest of her life."  
Rodney hurried away to the Control Tower.  
"It will be good to see her again."  
Teyla commented as they walked at a slower pace.  
"Except she never once came back to Atlantis. I doubt she wants to see us."


	7. Jail Break

Jail Break

Chimera lounged back on the bonnet of the Impala, crossing her ankles as she snuggled into the large leather jacket. The boot of the Impala was open, revealing its arsenal of guns, knives, salt, holy water, rosaries and herbs. She had dug through the weapons, unearthing several books and a wooden box. The books had covered different things from witchcraft to satanic rituals and mythology throughout history. Now, as she leant back against the windscreen, she was rifling through the small box. It was full of ID's with the same two men pictured, but their names were different on every badge.  
"FBI, County Marshal, CDC, Security Inspectors."  
She tossed the laminated cards back into the box as she listed them, snorting at some of the names. Bored, she tossed the rest to one side and picked up the tatty old journal she had found in the glovebox with half a dozen mobile phones.  
'Why would anyone even need that many phones?'  
She shook her head, ignored them where they were scattered to one side of the gleaming bonnet and opened the book to a random page. The abandoned warehouse Chimera had taken up residence in, was gradually darkening as night fell, but it didn't bother her. Her more enhanced senses allowed her to read easily in the dimming light, though she was having trouble believing what was written. The author, a man by the name of John Winchester, wrote about his various encounters of the supernatural. He detailed the means to hunting down ghosts, wendigos, vampires and werewolves. He listed where he encountered them, who helped him and what the creature did to attract a hunter's attention. Occasionally, he would mention his two sons, Sam and Dean. His wife, Mary, who had died at the hands of a Demon with yellow eyes, pulling the man and his sons into a life of hunting.  
"So that's why the man had such a dislike for my eyes. He thought I was another Demon like the one who killed his mother."  
At the back of the book, she found a picture of two men leaning against the bonnet of the Impala, laughing. She recognised the shorter of the two, from the bar. On the back, in a messy scrawl, was the name's Sam and Dean, followed by a date and location.  
'Dean. So, now I know who you are.'  
Chimera replaced the picture, securing the journal once more. She sat up and stretched, glancing around the now dark warehouse. Sliding from the bonnet, Chimera returned the journal and box of ID to the boot and closed it. She was hungry and as the warehouse seemed secure, as secure as something clearly abandoned could be anyway, she was of to find some food. Leaving the warehouse, she slipped the Impala keys into one pocket and sauntered through the alleys. Eventually, she came across a Diner and took a seat in one corner, giving her full view of the entire place.  
"What can I get ya?"  
Chimera flashed the waitress a charming smile, pushing her sunglasses further up her nose.  
Steak and a burger. Rare please."  
"Which one?"  
"Both."  
The waitress raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she wrote.  
"Anything to drink?"  
"Milk."  
Chimera couldn't resist. In Atlantis, she had always enjoyed letting her more feline instincts show with some things. She kept a perfectly innocent look on her face when the waitress paused. The woman gave her a careful look and decided she just didn't want to know. Instead, she took the menu and headed to the kitchen. Chimera grinned, pulling out her tablet and accessing the Dark Stars data core. Through that, she was able to hack into Stargate Command's systems. She scoured the database for any information regarding Anna Kennedy, her husband Pierce or their company, Bains Pharmaceuticals. The waitress returned with a glass of milk. Chimera ignored the waitress as she read the main page for Bains Pharmaceuticals. The cat paused as she took a drink, staring at the tablet.  
-Bains Pharmaceuticals are proud supporters of those who defend our country. We provide many of the necessary medication needed by the Armed Forces and aim constantly, to improve the medication and supplies for faster, easier and more efficient administration.-  
Chimera frowned as she placed her drink on the table.  
'They mentioned a test on a military air base in a few weeks. Is it standard procedure? Do Humans really test on each other when the product is so dubious? Nevermind, stupid question.'  
She could remember many of Rodney and Sheppard's foolish games. Something was wrong though. The Goa'uld had infiltrated a Pharmaceutical company that focused mostly on Military and now had tonnes of quartz, smuggled past the border. How did it all connect?

"There's nothing there."  
Sheppard was stood in the Control Tower, staring at the scans around Earth. Rodney grunted.  
"Talk about stating the obvious. No, there is nothing there. Neither is there anything around the Moon."  
"Maybe it is not her."  
Teyla moved to stand beside Sheppard. Ronon was leaning against the gate console, arms crossed as he watched something of to the side.  
"Are we really going to believe it's a Demon?"  
Sheppard scowled at Rodney.  
"No Rodney, we are not believing them about Demons, but we could continue working on this as a potential Goa'uld. "  
Rodney looked guilty for a moment.  
"Sheppard. "  
The team turned to Ronon who nodded to the screen he had been watching. Sheppard joined him and saw a view of the Brig and its occupants. He watched for a moment, then shrugged, before realising what had caught Ronon's attention. There was a third man, in a beige trench coat, stood inside the cell and talking to the two boys.  
"Who the hell is that?"  
Sheppard said as he moved to the Transport Mats. They got to the Brig in time to see Trench Coat place a hand on each man's shoulder, a smug grin on Dean as he saw them and they were gone. In just the blink of an eye, they had vanished into thin air. The team stood in mute disbelief, staring at the now empty cell.  
"H,how did they do that?"  
Rodney stuttered. Sheppard shook his head.  
"I don't know. Do some scans Rodney. See if you can find out who and what beamed them out."  
"There were no ships on the scan."  
Teyla pointed out.  
"Maybe we missed it. The shields are down while the cloak is in place. We're sitting ducks for anyone who finds us."  
Rodney scowled.  
"It might be possible to teleport someone from here to another part of the planet, without a ship."  
Sheppard looked at Rodney for a moment.  
"I need to talk to Woolsey. See if we can get a broadcast out through the police."

Sam and Dean staggered slightly as their motel room appeared around them. Dean shook his head and ran a hand over his face.  
"God, I need a drink."  
He headed to one of the beds and flopped down on it. Sam smiled at Castiel, who just nodded back.  
"What took you so long anyway?"  
Dean was now propped on his elbows and watching the Angel, who frowned.  
"It was very hard to find you Dean, even with you praying."  
Sam sat down on the second bed.  
"Where were we anyway Cas?"  
Castiel frowned.  
"I am not sure. An invisible city in the middle of the ocean, I think."  
Dean snorted.  
"Seriously? Are you saying the Air Force were holding us in Atlantis?"  
Sam looked at Dean in surprise, who looked affronted.  
"What? I've heard of it."  
Castiel shook his head.  
"The city of Atlantis is just a myth. It has never existed on Earth."  
Sam huffed.  
"How did they make an entire city invisible?"  
The Angel looked concerned.  
"I do not know."  
Dean shrugged, getting up and pulling a beer from the fridge.  
"Don't know, don't care. I want to get my car back, kill the bitch that stole it and figure out a way to stop this croatoan virus from being released."  
Sam shook his head.  
"Do you think this is a good idea Dean? I mean, the Air Force is clearly watching Bains Pharmaceutical."  
Dean snorted.  
"They wouldn't have any idea what to do with a demonic virus."  
Sam raised an eyebrow.  
"With an invisible city that, from what we saw, looks like something from a scifi show."  
Dean made to say something and paused. He couldn't come up with anything.  
"Shut up. Either way, I want to get my car back."  
"Your car is missing?"  
Castiel asked with a puzzled frown.  
"Someone stole it after we were taken into custody."  
"It could be anywhere. She doesn't have GPS, so we can't track her."  
Sam sighed as he stood up.  
"Well I don't know about you, but I'm beat. How about we get some lunch and figure out our next move. You coming Cas?"  
Castiel looked perplexed, before shrugging and following the boys out the door.

Chimera stood cleaning one of her guns on the bonnet of the Impala. On a nearby desk, she had managed to plug in the police scanner from the boot and tune it in. Now she listened in fascination. She still couldn't work out how the Goa'uld and their quartz delivery connected to the Military medication. Maybe it was time to pay Sheppard a visit. She was going to need help on this hunt. Suddenly, Chimera froze as something on the scanner caught her attention.  
-Driving a black Chevrolet Impala, registration KAZ 2Y5. They are both armed and potentially dangerous. May well be working with a young woman.-  
Chimera clicked the last piece of the gun into position. She slid the weapon back into her thigh holster. Her gaze flickered over the warehouse she had hidden in. So, the boys had escaped from the authorities. Is that why Sheppard had been in the area? Had he picked them up? At which point, how did they escape from a military base? Had they been in Stargate Command?  
"No. They can't have been. The SGC is in a different part of the continent. They would never have escaped from there either."  
She ran a hand gently over the polished bonnet of the car in thought. Then she grinned as an idea came over her. She dug into one of her cargo trousers pockets and pulled out a small device, no bigger than her palm. It was flat and disc shaped, with a flattened section on one side and a group of buttons on the top. She activated it with a gentle stroke and a blue light spun round the outside edge as it whistled. She stepped to the side of the car, backing up as she pointed the device at it. A bright light flared out, engulfing the car as it scanned from top to bottom. It beeped when it was finished and she repeated the process, first from the front and then the back. She pulled the police scanner from the table and returned it to the boot, then grabbed the leather jacket she had been wearing and shoved it onto the back seat. The device in her hand whistled again. She examined the three dimensional holographic screen it raised and tapped a few buttons. Then she moved to the bonnet and lowered her hand. The device hit the metal with a dull clunk as a magnetic force secured it in place. There was a wave of blue light and the Impala seemed to shudder, before it changed. It looked a wreck. It's windows were all cracked or shattered, it's tires were all flat, the metal was twisted and the paint was peeling to reveal dull metal or jagged rust. Cimera smiled, running a hand over the dented metal and feeling the smooth polish instead. She went to the shattered drivers window and tapped on the glass. The vehicle was still in perfect condition, but if anyone saw it, they would see only a broken wreck. Of course, if they were to touch it, the ruse would be broken. Locked away in an abandoned warehouse though, she highly doubted anyone would find it, never mind touch it. As she headed for the door, she checked the license plate and confirmed that it had managed to alter it. Chimera left the warehouse confident the car was safe. It was time for lunch and to see if she could find Sheppard.


	8. Aliens and Demons

Aliens and Demons

It was dark as the Winchesters passed through the shadows, guns drawn as they approached the warehouse. Embarrassingly. it had not been till after lunch, that anyone had remembered they had traceable phones in the Impala. They had tracked them to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Now, they opened the door as quietly as they could, slipping inside cautiously. It was only a small warehouse, with metal stairs up one wall, leading to a glass fronted office overlooking the storage area. A light hung over the storage area, casting a circle of light over the ruined remains of an old car. It took Dean a moment to realise that it was actually the Impala. He would forever deny the noise he made as he looked over the broken glass, twisted metal and flat tires. Sam froze next to him.  
"Is that...?"  
"what did she do to my car?"  
Dean growled, fuming. Suddenly, something dropped from the top of the metal stairs, landing in a crouch before them. Dean's knuckles whitened as he recognised the girl from the bar. She grinned, flashing a pair of long canines, looking between the boys and the car.  
"I'm sorry. It seems my driving on this world leaves a lot to be desired."  
Dean raised his gun, gritting his teeth as he stepped forward.  
"Wow, wait, Dean."  
Sam raised a hand to his brother's shoulder, trying to hold him back. He looked at the girl, who just smiled in amusement, completely unperturbed by the weapon. She placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head to one side like a dog as she stood with easy confidence.  
"Who are you two?"  
Dean growled.  
"Why should we tell you anything?"  
The girls grin twisted into something more menacing and she removed her sunglasses to reveal the yellow cat like eyes.  
"No one has ever been able to track me, yet you two seem to keep appearing. You two manage to find me, anywhere I go."  
They frowned, then Sam noticed Castiel in the shadows of a doorway behind the girl. He seemed to be listening, but he noticed Sam watching him and nodded. Sam looked at the girl once more, hoping to keep her distracted.  
"What do you mean?"  
She tossed the sunglasses onto a nearby table and placed her hands on her hips.  
"I thought nothing of it when we met in the bar. People meet, it happens, but you seemed different. I liked that. You seemed like another hunter among the boring sheep of this planet."  
Sam and Dean exchanged a confused look.  
"Planet? What do you mean by 'on this planet'?"  
Sam said but she ignored them and continued as though they hadn't spoken.  
"Then, at the house of Anna Kennedy, the police found the car I stole, so I picked a different car. When I got into it, your scent was all over it, then I recognised your jacket. Now you turn up here, where I have been hiding. So I ask, yet again, what and who are you? No one should be able to track me and your friend is a fool to think he can sneak up behind me. I heard him the minute he entered the building and I could smell him at the door."  
Castiel froze behind the girl, hand outstretched to knock her out and the three boys watched her carefully. She threw a condescending look over one shoulder and rolled her eyes as she headed for the Impala.  
"Don't touch my car, bitch."  
All Dean got in response, was a toss of hair over the shoulder. Then she opened the boot and pulled out one of the guns they kept there.  
"Let's not mention the impressive, if not strange arsonal you carry and the stories your father wrote in his journal."  
Sam cleared his throat, drawing the girl's attention.  
"What are you?"  
She smiled coldly.  
"I do believe, I asked first, Sammy."  
Castiel moved closer.  
"You are not of this world."  
The girl raised an eyebrow.  
"How did you work that one out? Was it the yellow eyes or talking about planets?"  
She said sarcastically, but Castiel just frowned.  
"The yellow eyes, although strange in Humans, are not so strange on Earth among its creatures, nor is the mention of planets. Astronomy plays a large part throughout this world's history."  
The girl blinked at him, expressionless and Dean just hid his face in one hand.  
"Okay. No sarcasm around you. Duly noted."  
She tossed the gun back into the boot of the Impala and closed it, before turned back to the Winchesters.  
"Alright. I'll tell you first, so long as you tell me who you are after."  
The brothers looked at each other and Sam shrugged, nodding.  
"Alright."  
Dean replied.  
"I am Chimera Delfae, Fleet Commander of the former Therian Starfleet of the Pegasus Galaxy and Captain of the Battle Cruiser, The Dark Star."  
She finished her introduction with a fist over her heart and an arm behind her, dropping into a low bow before straightening to attention with a proud smile, head held high. All three could see the power and authority radiating from her in that moment.  
"You're an alien?"  
Dean said in disbelief. Chimera grinned, revealing long, sharp canines.  
"Never seen an alien before?"  
Sam shook his head.  
"Aliens don't exist."  
Chimera raised an eyebrow.  
"Really? I must be going crazy then. The last few hundred years must be one hell of a fantasy I dreamt up."  
Sam and Dean gaped in surprise.  
"Last few hundred years?"  
Chimera rolled her eyes.  
"Of course, that's what you focus on."  
"Aliens have long existed Dean. They have visited Earth many times in the past."  
The trio turned to stare at Castiel.  
"What?"  
"Your world has encountered aliens before."  
Chimera raised an eyebrow, sniffing the air.  
"Alright. I know Sylvester and Tweety here to a certain degree, but who are you sunshine? You smell the same and yet so very different."  
Castiel looked at Chimera, who ignored Deans indignant "oi".  
"I am Castiel, an Angel of the Lord."  
Chimera snorted.  
"Uhuh. If you say so. What is that, a rank of some kind in your military?"  
Castiel frowned in confusion, but it was Sam who answered.  
"No, he really means he is an Angel in the service of God."  
Dean grinned smugly at the slight widening of Chimeras eyes. Her gaze narrowed at Castiel.  
"Prove it."  
Castiel glanced at the boys, before taking a step back. The warehouse darkened, lit by sudden flashes of lightening, whose light revealed the dark shadows of wings on the wall behind Castiel. The Angel suddenly radiated power, his gaze darkening. The lights brightened and the lightning faded away. Dean looked at Chimera, who, to his surprise, was grinning like a child at christmas.  
"Oh that was brilliant and I thought this world was so about proving me is so much more to it all."  
She let out an excited laugh, turning to the Winchesters.  
"So, everything your father wrote, it's all real?"  
They nodded mutely.  
"By Valeria, that's amazing. You still haven't explained how you've been tracking me though?"  
Sam shrugged.  
"We haven't."  
Chimera frowned, crossing her arms as she leant back against the Impala. She noticed how Dean squirmed and resisted a grin. Instead, she kept her focus on Sam, indicating for him to explain.  
"At the bar, we couldn't work out what you were. On first thought, we believed you were a Demon, but your talk of planets and not knowing about Hell didn't fit that theory."  
"We worked out that Therian was an Ancient Greek word for Shapeshifter and when we went looking into the disappearance of the crew on a cargo ship, we tracked it to Anna Kennedy's house."  
Dean continued, glaring at her.  
"Dean saw you in the house and recognised you then we saw you change into a cat. We were going to try and intercept you, but we got picked up by these people from the Air Force. That's how you got the car."  
Chimera perked up at the sound of the military team and remembered seeing Sheppard driving a black van past but she said nothing.  
"Cas got us out of their sci-fi looking prison cell and we tracked the phones in the glove compartment to find the car. We haven't been trying to track you and when we did, like you said, it was impossible."  
Dean finished of, shifting in agitation. Chimera nodded as though she had expected their explanation and pushed herself of the car. She sauntered to Castiel, circling him.  
"Why do you smell like those two and yet so different?"  
Dean surreptitiously sniffed his jacket, which the Alien saw over the Angel's shoulder. Chimera rolled her eyes again. Something she was finding herself doing a lot with these three. She blamed Sheppard and Rodney for that though. They gave her plenty of practice.  
"I'm part cat, so I have enhanced senses, moron. I'm not saying you need a shower. I can tell you had one earlier today. You reek of cheap chemicalized coconut."  
Dean looked guilty as Sam glanced at him. Chimera grinned.  
"Your brother on the other hand, used the chemicalized excuse humans claim is mango."  
She turned back to Castiel, ignoring the funny looks the boys were giving her and each other.  
"This is not my true form. This is a host who gave me permission to use his body as a vessel."  
"Charming and a little disturbing."  
"Least he asks permission. Demons just ride whoever they fancy."  
Chimera raised an eyebrow at Dean and grinned.  
"Oh please. I can tell you don't like it, even if they do ask permission."  
Dean glowered but said nothing. Chimera crossed her arms again, feet apart.  
"Why are you tracking the Kennedy's?"  
They were silent for a minute, before Sam put his gun away and slid his hands into his Jean pockets.  
"We think Lucifer put some of his Demons in charge and is preparing to use the company as one of many places to release a virus. One that will wipe out the human race."  
Chimera said nothing for a moment.  
"Huh."  
"Huh? That's it, just huh?"  
Dean looked at her like she was nuts, huffing as he put his own gun away. Chimera shrugged.  
"Well, I don't know about Demons, but I can tell you, that Anna and Pierce Kennedy are not Demons. They're Goa'uld."  
The boys looked perplexed.  
"Goa'uld? The thing you said you were hunting, back at the bar? What are they?"  
Chimera sighed,turning away from them and walking over to the table. She ran a hand through her tabby coloured hair, before hoisting herself onto the table.  
"Goa'uld are a race of parasitic aliens who burrow into the back of a host's neck and control them. Then they enslave and rule over the Humans as gods, using their highly advanced technology."  
Dean snorted.  
"I think we would have noticed if a bunch of Aliens had enslaved us."  
Chimera scowled at him.  
"Well obviously they didn't control this world, moron. They forgot about the Earth somehow. I'm not sure why. There was something about a revolution in Ancient Egypt that resulted in the Stargate being buried I think. At which point, nothing could return to this planet, without spending months in a ship. With so many Humans already under their control, one piddly little planet just wasn't worth that much effort."  
Sam shook his head.  
"You're saying the Gods are Aliens?"  
Chimera nodded.  
"Oh yes. I heard all about the deaths of Anubis, Apophis, Ra, Yue."  
She smiled at Dean, who did a double take.  
"Me?"  
He pointed to himself in surprise, then realised he had made a mistake when she scowled again.  
"Lord Yue. Some Asian god I think. They met some irritating woman called Kali at one point."  
"That, can't be possible."  
Sam shook his head frowning. Chimera cocked her head to one side in a silent question.  
"We have faced the gods ourselves. They weren't Aliens."  
Chimera laughed.  
"Oh I never said the Goa'uld were known for their originality. They took on the identities of the Gods, but that doesn't mean the Gods didn't exist before the Goa'uld popped up and said 'I am your god, kneel before me.'"  
Chimeras voice took on a mocking tone as she spoke, showing her evident distaste for the Goa'uld.  
"Honestly, from what I have heard, the Goa'uld stole everything from other races. Even their Ships were not their own design."  
Dean frowned.  
"What do you mean, from what you've heard?"  
Chimera leaned back against the wall, pulling one foot onto the table and leaning her arm on her knee.  
"I told you, I'm from the Pegasus Galaxy. We don't have Goa'uld there. We have a much worse evil."  
Sam stepped forward, curiosity on his face.  
"What do you fight against in the Pegasus Galaxy?"  
Dean huffed.  
"Oh come on, are we seriously falling for this?"  
"We fight the Wraith. They harvest Humans like cattle, storing them to feed on at a later time. Usually alive."  
The boys looked at her for a moment.  
"Wraiths?"  
Chimera shrugged.  
"Not the same as what your daddy describes in his book. In fact, my friends think the stories of the Wraith, brought to Earth by survivors fleeing the Pegasus Galaxy, formed the creatures you call Vampires. I can see the relation."  
The three men exchanged looks of disbelief and uncertainty, while Chimera pulled out a phone from her jacket.  
"Well, as lovely as this has been, I have somewhere to break into. So I need to go. If you want to stick around and learn more, you're welcome. I'll be back late, so don't wait up."  
Chimera slid of the table, returning the small phone to her pocket. Sam nudged Dean and nodded towards the girl, who had pulled a gun from a holster under her jacket and was checking the clip. Rolling his eyes, Dean cleared his throat as she returned the gun to it's place, moving on to check theone in her thigh holster.  
"We want to come with you. You never know, back up might be useful."  
Chimera froze, then turned to him with a raised eyebrow.  
"I doubt it. I can get into places alone a lot easier then if I was dragging two Humans around."  
Dean looked affronted.  
"What is that suppose to mean?"  
The look on Chimeras face indicated just how stupid she thought that question was.  
"If an alarm goes of, security don't tend to query a cat tripping it."  
Dean blushed. To be fair, her feline side was new.  
"I can get them inside without tripping any alarms. Human security is very easy for an Angel to get around."  
Castiel spoke up from behind. Chimera eyed him for a moment.  
"Fine, but any trouble and I will have no problem in leaving you. I have no records connecting me to this world."  
Dean huffed again. He wasn't surprised. She had only known them for minutes.  
"Fine, but you owe me for my car. I might still shoot you, just for that."


	9. Breaking and Entering

Breaking and Entering

Chimera watched the dark building of Bains Pharmaceutical, silent and unmoving among the shadows of the few trees scattered around. She scanned the area for cameras, easily picking them out and mapping her route. It was going to be tricky. The security was tight, but in one of the small domestic forms, she should be able to get in. A rustle of feathers directly behind her, made every muscle tense and she spun round, fangs bared, hunkering slightly as her nails sharpened into claws and she felt them tug as they raked through soft flesh. She got a glimpse of beige fabric, blue eyes and black hair, before a hand gripped her arm and the world lurched sideways. Chimera staggered slightly and shook her head, stomach rolling worse than in a complex flight maneuver. Opening her eyes to a dimly lit office, she could feel Castiel was still gripping her arm, steadying her. The Winchesters stood before her, Sam looking out for any guards through the glass window of the door and Dean watching her with a smug grin that made her mood darken further. Chimera snatched her arm from Castiel with a deep growl.  
"What the bloody hell was that?"  
Sam put a finger to his lips, frowning at her outburst.  
"Shh, we don't want to attract any guards."  
Chimera snarled, an animalistic sound that drew everyone's gaze to her.  
"I don't give a damn about the guards. I can deal with the guards. What I am pissed about, is being ambushed like that."  
She whirled around on Castiel as she spoke, then paused as she took in the bloody lines over his cheek, dripping onto the white collar of his shirt. Her face softened slightly with guilt.  
"I'm sorry. Though to be fair, you should never sneak up on a Therian. Especially a military trained Therian."  
"You alright Cas?"  
Dean said, scowling at Chimera also saw the blood in the darkness.  
"I am fine Dean. I understand it was an accident. I did appear quite suddenly behind her."  
Dean grunted.  
"You do that to us as well, but we don't shred you into ribbons for it."  
Chimera glowered but said nothing, flexing her fingers, as though considering tearing something else into ribbons. Or, someone. Getting on Dean's good side was going to take a miracle. Chimera remembered the Impala and grinned. He was clearly attached to his car, if his reaction to its apparent condition was anything to go by. Showing him that it was not actually damaged, would probably ease his mood. She cocked her head to one side.  
"How did you do that anyway?"  
"Angel. Wings. You figure it out."  
Chimera didn't dignify that with an answer as she examined the desk, pulling at drawers and finding them locked. She heard Sam sigh and ignored them, opting to examine the locks on the desk drawers instead.  
"Angels can appear anywhere they want, in an instant."  
She peered over the desk with an eyebrow raised.  
"So he could go to the other side of the world and back in seconds?"  
Sam nodded, then watched with interest as the Alien grabbed a letter opener from the desk.  
"What are we even doing here?"  
Dean snapped from where he had taken over as lookout.  
Trying to find out what they have done with the fifty tonnes of Quartz delivered by The Helix."  
Dean looked at her in surprise.  
"Fifty tonnes of Quartz?"  
"Why do you think they were on the docks in the first place, genius? Night time fishing?"  
A filing cabinet rattled as Sam opened it and scanned the labels. He paused.  
"Wait, how do you know The Helix delivered Quartz to this company?"  
The lock on the desk drawer clicked and Chimera dropped the letter opener back on the table, a claw on her index finger retracting. She pulled open the drawer, speaking without looking up.  
"I was there when the deal went down."  
She closed the drawer with a huff.  
"Nothing. This is just a Junior Accountants office. If we want any real information, we need the bosses office."  
She strode to the door and out into the hallway without any hesitation. The boys glanced at each other, before Sam shut the filing cabinet and they hurried after her.  
"How did you know when and where the deal would take place?"  
Dean asked suspicious. Chimera shrugged, hips swaying as she walked confidently down the hall.  
"Sheer luck to be honest. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."  
She told them about sneaking into the restaurant kitchens and getting trapped by the delivery van, forcing her to shift and hide in the restaurant itself. By the time she finished, she was pushing open the door to the service stairwell.  
"So, you just happened to sneak into the same restaurant, hide beside the neighbouring table and overhear a conversation between an Alien and a black market dealer?"  
Dean said skeptically. Chimera paused, leaning on the railings as she looked down at him, nodding her head sharply as she bit her lip.  
"Believe me, I know how you feel. I wouldn't believe someone who said that either, but have you never had a stroke of luck in one of your jobs? Heard or saw the right thing at the right time? Sometimes I wonder how, in the entire planet, I just happened to walk into that restaurant and sit at that table at the same time that deal was done."  
She continued climbing the stairs.  
"I mean, I was all for ignoring it. It was interesting as a passing fancy, but nothing that I cared for. In essence, it was boring. Just a black market deal and they happen everywhere. Doesn't matter which planet you go to. Yet after the Mexican left, her eyes glowed and her voice changed. I recognised it, after all, I had heard it in the training sessions that my friends did after one of these creatures managed to infiltrate them. Then of course, it became much more fun."  
"Who are these friends you keep mentioning?"  
Sam asked after a moment, as they reached the top floor. Chimera paused for a moment, hand on the door and head cocked to one side. Suddenly she pulled the door open and held it for the boys to go through.  
"The people who woke me up. When they found me, I was in a Stasis Chamber."  
Dean raised an eyebrow as she joined them in the hall, the door closing with a soft click.  
"Stasis Chamber?"  
The Alien nodded, sniffing the air. She turned in one direction and began walking. Dean noticed she didn't make any sound at all when she walked.  
"A capsule that slows your body's systems right down and puts you into a deep coma like sleep. Tended to be used for long distance travel and slows the aging process. Allowed your ship to go onto minimum power as well."  
Chimera paused, peering through a door to her left and grinned.  
"Anyone fancy a snack?"  
She vanished into the room before anyone had much chance to process the sudden change of topic. The room was small, with a couple of tables and a scattering of hard back chairs by the door. Opposite the door was a sink and some cupboards, which Chimera was digging through. A fridge hummed to her right.  
"What are you doing?"  
Dean snapped. Chimera turned around with a packet in her hand.  
"Biscuit?"  
Dean hesitated between glaring at her and accepting the offer. In the end, he shrugged and took a biscuit.  
"We don't have time for this. We need to find the information and get out, before anyone notices us."  
Sam pointed out from the doorway. Chimera rolled her eyes, opening the fridge door to see if there was anything else of interest.  
"Will you relax? We have all night. If they were going to notice us, they would have by now and I will hear anyone coming before they get within a hundred feet of us. Trust me."  
She pulled out a leftover section of pie in a plastic container, throwing it to Dean who grinned in delight.  
"Forks are in that drawer."  
She said, pointing without looking at a drawer by the sink. Spotting a can of whipped cream, she grinned.  
"Have either of you heard of Travis Air Base? What is it?"  
Sam glanced at her as she shook the can and examined the top, clearly trying to work out how to open it.  
"It's an Air Force Base near San Francisco. Why?"  
Chimera paused for a moment, then shrugged.  
"Because when I was in the Kennedy House, they mentioned the Travis Air Base. I figured that's what it was."  
She paused as she sprayed cream into her mouth. Castiel and Sam watched in fascination, as her face suddenly twisted into a look of horror and disgust. She fled to the sink and began retching. Dean looked up from the table, his mouth full of pie.  
"You okay?"  
Sam asked. Chimera turned on the tap and rinsed out her mouth, then gagged again.  
"Oh dear Hellna. I don't think anything in that tin of shit you call cream, has ever seen a cow in it's life and your chemicalized water is only marginally better, and I mean marginally."  
Chimera spat into the sink and shuddered.  
Now, where was I?"  
She shook her head, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand and glaring at the can of cream.  
"Oh yes, I wasn't certain, but after the website stated it specialised in helping the military, I figured it was something to do with the Air Force."  
Suddenly she raised a hand, cocking her head to one side. After a few minutes frozen, she relaxed.  
"we're okay. Come on, let's go. I'm getting bored."  
She swept from the room and Dean shrugged at Sam's look, swallowed and hurried after her. Castiel just frowned in confusion, watching the girl stride down the hallway. They found a large glass walled office and Chimera peered around the open work space, before slipping through into the office. She headed for the desk and began tugging at the drawers, while Sam booted up the computer beside her and Dean pulled open a filing cabinet to rummage through the files. After a while, he huffed.  
"I don't understand this."  
Chimera looked up from the drawers she had manipulated open. She had several folders on the desktop and Sam was typing away at the computer.  
"What's wrong?"  
Dean passed over a file.  
"I mean these reports look like half of them are in another language."  
Chimera scanned the page and grinned.  
"Oh, no it's not. It's different chemical compounds and the results of the tests they have been in."  
She looked puzzled at Dean.  
"You really don't know what these all mean?"  
Dean scowled.  
"My science is a little rusty."  
He said sarcastically. Sam smirked from behind the computer and Chimera blushed.  
"Sorry. I guess I'm not really use to people not understanding the same things I do. One of the people who woke me, ran a whole department of scientists and I often helped with their work. Another pretended he didn't understand, but I could tell he did and in private we often challenged each other with games. Though, what they understood was nothing compared to my people. My people used these sorts of equations to challenge the children when in General School."  
A look of deep sadness crossed her face and she seemed to stare out of the floor to ceiling windows. Dean knew that look. Had seen it in the mirror himself when the job got too much and on Sam after their father died.  
"Who did you lose?"  
Chimera snapped her gaze at him and he saw her eyes harden, her shoulders tensing and mouth tightening. Yet, when she spoke, her voice was soft.  
"Everyone."  
She handed him back the folder and he gently took it. Chimera turned back to Sam, who had paused to watch them and cleared her throat.  
"Anything?"  
Sam shrugged, accepting the change of topic and looking back at the screen.  
"Well, there are emails detailing about a Project Gold nearing completion and notes from doctors on the Travis Air Base of various soldiers, all of different ranks. The dates indicate a shipment to leave here in two weeks, but no mention of where its going. There was something about a new shipment from last week being better than expected and enabled the Project to be completed much sooner than scheduled."  
Chimera frowned.  
"Travis again. That name keeps cropping up. Let me guess, there are no records for any deliveries last week."  
Sam shook his head.  
"No mention of a Project Gold anywhere else either. Looks like it is a top secret Project."  
Chimera pursed her lips, eyes glancing all over the room.  
Something tells me that this is bad. Are there any reports alongside the emails?"  
Sam nodded and she peered over his shoulder as he brought up the test results. Dean gave up on the filing cabinet, feeling he would miss anything important when he didn't know what he was reading anyway, then spotted a pair of folders labeled 'Gold'. He filched them, then turned and watched Chimera, who was frowning at the screen over Sam's shoulder. She shook her head and muttered to herself as she read, then her eyes widened. She stood up straight with a look of horror.  
"No. Surely they wouldn't? They have made a new vaccine to be released to the public. It looks like it is being released into the Military first and then upon positive responses, the general public."  
Dean shrugged, realising that she was actually talking to them.  
"So? What about it?"  
Chimera glanced at them.  
"From what I can tell, even to your scientists, there is no way this vaccine will have any effect on the illness it is suppose to counter. In fact, as far as I can tell, it will have no effect at all. They have added the quartz into the vaccine, which is made up to basically amplify the properties on the Quartz. I need to find a section of the Quartz and analyze it, see what they have programmed it with."  
She looked to see three confused faces. Chimera shook her head.  
"I'm sorry. Goa'uld technology, among many others, use crystals as a highly important part of their technology. Much, if not all their technology is run through crystals. They can store data on it, like a circuit board in your own technology."  
Her head snapped to the side, peering through the glass into the dark building and Dean could see her eyes glowing in what dim light there was.  
"We should go. We have dallied here long enough. I don't like where this is going and I think we need to talk to a few of my friends. This is much bigger than I thought."  
Dean waved the folders in his hand.  
"I found two folders labeled as 'Gold'. Figured they might be connected to that Project you mentioned."  
Chimera moved around the desk and he handed her the files. Castiel was looking into the main offices and Sam shut down the computer.  
"What about the crystals you wanted?"  
Sam asked as she read quickly through the files. The Therian snapped them shut.  
"These are good Dean. Take them and go. All of you. I'll slip down and find some quartz in the labs. If I need help, I'll pray."  
She made for the door and Dean caught her arm. The Alien tensed under his grip, but her gaze was curious when she looked at him.  
"We all go."  
Chimera made to say something, but then her head snapped round, her gaze fixed on the empty floor, head cocked as she listened. Chimeras grip on the door loosened and she took a step back.  
"We need to go."  
Castiel said from behind and he gripped Sam and Dean by the shoulders. Dean just had time to see four flashlights enter the far side of the room, before everything blurred and they were suddenly stood outside the building. He looked round to see they were in the carpark, beside the road and he blushed, jerking his hand back as he realised he was still gripping Chimeras arm. She looked at him uncertainly for a moment, then shook her head and turned away to cross the road.  
"What?"  
Dean huffed at Sam's questioning look, but his brother just shook his head, smiling.  
"Are you coming? We can't go back into the building now, so we might as well go back to the warehouse and get some sleep."

Dean scowled at the chipped, dented and scratched bodywork of his precious car. Sam had passed out on an old cot Chimera had found in a neighbouring warehouse. Castiel had offered to keep guard outside and the thrice damned Alien, if that was indeed what she was, had vanished. He suspected she was lurking in the shadows of the upstairs office that overlooked the main floor of the warehouse. Not that he cared where she was. It was clear Chimera was not Human and she definitely seemed to have a strange way of talking, but he also didn't like her. Sure, she was hot, energetic and mysterious, which he had to admit was damn attractive. Dean took a swig of whiskey. Attractive or not, he did not like her. The man huffed, knowing he was losing his internal battle. Who was he kidding? She was hot, dangerous and amusing. What was not to like? Well, the damage to his car for one. Need there be any other reason to hate her? He stood up and ran a hand on one of the few undamaged patches on the front of the bonnet.  
"Oh baby, what did that wicked woman do to you?"  
Dean refused to admit to anyone, ever, that he froze in place, his heart stopping in fright, when a voice whispered directly into his ear.  
"Let me show you."  
Chimera, her body warm as she pressed into his back, her arms slipping around his waist as she reached for something on the car. He watched her grab at something and stared in amazement as the Impala shimmered blue, then returned to its former sleek, polished and gleaming state. Just as he remembered it from before. He let out a little hysterical laugh, running his hands over the smooth bonnet and laughed again. Suddenly, he spun round to face Chimera, who had stepped back and was grinning smugly at his delight. Then he grabbed her chin and kissed her, on the mouth. Chimera froze, tensing in surprise for a moment, before she then melted into the kiss. When she purred, Dean pulled away, eyes wide, blushing as he realised what he had done. He coughed, stepping away, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided her eyes.  
"Sorry. I uh. Thanks, for uh, for the car."  
Chimera shuffled uncertainly, before nodding.  
"You're welcome. Simple device. Scans the object and designs a rough hologram to show people what you want them to see. It looked wrecked, but if you touched it, then the whole illusion would be revealed."  
She opened her fist to reveal a small round device in her palm. Dean noticed offhandedly that her cheeks were flushed and her breathing was slightly shorter than usual. He suppressed a grin, turning back to run his hands over the car in relief. He heard Chimera start heading up the stairs.  
"Oh and Dean."  
He turned to see her leaning against the banister, halfway up the stairs, a copy smile toying on her lips.  
"Consider this my offer to a fresh start. I understand I may have overstepped some boundaries when we first met. How about we try again?"  
Dean hesitated for a moment, still uncertain on whether to trust the creature before him, but then he shrugged.  
"Sure. Fresh start."  
Chimeras grin broadened and he swore he could hear her purring again, as she turned to saunter the rest of the way up the stairs. Alien or monster, he didn't know, but whichever she was, Chimera fascinated him in a way he didn't understand.


	10. Connections

Connections

Dean groaned as he sat up, running a hand over his face. He glanced over to see Sam's bed was empty and stood up. Grabbing his jacket, he headed into the main floor and saw Sam going through the books from the Impala at the table. Castiel was stood to one side, watching Chimera, who was pacing by the large doors at the other end of the building. Dean sat opposite Sam, opening one of the bottles of beer laid out on the table, watching the pacing Alien. Sam looked up as he pushed a paper bag of food towards his brother.  
"She's been like that for a while. Cas says she was up around dawn."  
Dean frowned, sipping his drink.  
"What's put a bug up her ass?"  
Sam glanced at her and shrugged.  
"I don't know. She's been muttering to herself mostly. Something about needing to tell someone but not sure how. She seems to go of in another language mostly. I don't recognise it."  
Dean noticed paperwork scattered over the bonnet of his car and figured Chimera had looked at the files they stole from Bains Pharmaceuticals. Suddenly, the Therian stopped pacing. She spun to look at them for a moment, then stalked over. The boys watched her cautiously.  
"Who were the people that arrested you outside the Kennedy's house?"  
Dean shrugged.  
"Some Colonel I think. What was his name?"  
Sam frowned, but it was Chimera who answered  
"Sheppard?"  
The boys glanced at each other, then nodded.  
"Yeah, it was. You know him?"  
Chimera gave a half hearted shrug, turning to Castiel.  
"Any chance you can take me back to where you found the boys?"  
Castiel frowned.  
"It was very hard to locate them, but I may be able to return, yes."  
"Wow wow, what do you mean return? You want to go visit that place?"  
Dean said. The Alien ignored him, turning back to the Impala and gathering up the papers into their files. Dean stood up.  
"Why would you want to visit a clearly secret base, that even Angels struggle to find and is crawling with soldiers looking for us?"  
Chimera raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Firstly, I have my reasons and secondly, the soldiers are not looking for me, just you."  
Dean made to say something, but couldn't disagree. Chimera brushed past him.  
"Anyway, I can sneak in with ease. I mean, who's going to query a cat wondering about the place?"  
She wandered over to Castiel and turned to the boys.  
"Don't wait up."  
She grinned, but Sam moved to stand by his brother.  
"We should go with you."  
"Yeah, you'll need back up."  
Dean crossed his arms, nodding as he spoke.  
"Seriously? When have I ever needed back up from you two?"  
The boys hesitated.  
"Shut up. We're going with you."  
Chimera smirked as Castiel grabbed hold of the boys and the world shifted.  
The familiar blue and silver hallway that came into focus though, made her grin slightly. She glanced out of the window and saw the ocean spreading around them, the land distant on the horizon and an island between them. For now, the hallway was deserted and Chimera figured that there were less personnel. After all, the city seemed to be parked on Earth now. She led them down the hall, aware of the two boys, tense and ready for trouble, their hands close to their guns. She rolled her eyes, perfectly at ease in this majestic place. They traversed a handful of hallways before her hearing picked up voices, one of which made her pause slightly. Chimera thrust the files at Dean, who was closest, then crept carefully towards the end of the hall. She peered around a corner, where she was delighted to see Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard speaking to an unfamiliar scientist. Chimera grinned, unable to contain herself as she gave a squeal and ran excitedly at the soldier.  
"Sheppard."  
The pilot looked shocked as he suddenly had an armful of Therian hugging him, knocking him back a couple of steps. The scientist backed of a couple of steps, before stuttering an apology and leaving, her paperwork hugged close to her chest. The Winchester's and Castiel watched speechless as Chimera pulled back, beaming up at Sheppard.  
"You're looking good Sheppard. By Valeria, but it has been a long time."  
Sheppard stuttered, looking at the girl with disbelief.  
"Chimera? How, I mean, what? How?"  
Chimera grinned, turning towards the Winchester's and waving them over.  
"I hear you have already met my new friends, Sam and Dean Winchester. This is Castiel, the one who broke them out."  
"Son of a bitch. She knows him well."  
Dean muttered as the pilot glanced between them and Chimera. He finally seemed to find his voice.  
"What are you doing here? How did you even get here?"  
Chimera shrugged.  
"I flew."  
She proceeded down the hall with a laugh at Sheppard's perplexed face.  
"Honestly, you tell him something he should understand and he still looks lost. You'd think he had never been into space before."  
Chimera rolled her eyes at Dean, who looked a mixture of disbelief and exasperation, personnel staring as they passed. Sheppard followed them as The Therian led them through the halls into a large room with a high ceiling. They stood on a balcony covering one side, giving them an impressive view of a large metal ring, sat upright at one end of the room below. Sam and Dean gazed around in amazement, the people at the console's to their left watching in fascination and a couple recognising Chimera as she moved to the railing, grinning as she spun, arms wide in a dramatic flair.  
"Sam, Dean, I give to you, the lost city of Atlantis."  
Sam's jaw dropped.  
"No way."  
"Chimera."  
The Colonel protested. Chimera shrugged at him.  
"What? They already know I'm an Alien."  
"This is suppose to be top secret Chimera."  
The Therian waved a hand disinterestedly, turning to the empty glass office.  
"I'm not bound by your laws and anyway, you should hear their stories Sheppard. they know how to keep secrets. Where's Weir and the the rest of the team?"  
When no response came, she turned back with curiosity and looked concerned when Sheppard refused to meet her gaze, his hands on his hips. Castiel and the brothers moved to the side and Dean crossed his arms with an uneasy feeling, as Chimera stalked slowly over to Sheppard.  
"John? Where's Weir and the team?"  
Sheppard rubbed the back of his neck glancing at Teyla and Ronon who were slowly climbing the stairs, pausing as they saw Chimera.  
"Well, uh. About that."  
Chimeras gaze narrowed and Sheppard took a deep breath.  
"Elizabeth is dead."  
There was a moment of silence as everyone watched them. Chimeras shoulders dropped slightly and her face went blank.  
"Dead?"  
The Pilot nodded.  
"Not long after you left actually. She died at the hands of the Replicators. Samantha Carter of SG 1 took over for a year and Richard Woolsey has been in charge for two so far."  
Teyla approached the feline, laying a gentle hand on her arm. Chimera looked at her for a moment, before laying a hand over Teyla's and bowing her head.  
"My deepest condolences to you all. Doctor Elizabeth Weir was a good woman and a good leader."  
"what is going on here?"  
Chimeras face was stern as they all turned to face a small balding man with glasses. He was dressed in a suit and looking between the newcomers and Sheppard.  
"Colonel?"  
Sheppard stepped forward.  
"Mr Woolsey, this is Chimera. She was found in a stasis chamber within Atlantis, when Doctor Weir was in command."  
Chimera stood tall and fierce, eyeing up the small man before her, but he didn't seem to notice.  
"I remember those reports. You saved the lives of Colonel Sheppard and his team didn't you?"  
Chimera gave a brisk nod. Dean wondered how close she had been to the former commander of the city.  
"I was led to believe that you had left Atlantis, back in the Pegasus Galaxy."  
"I did. I needed to find out what happened to my people and I had no desire to become another plaything in the hands of scientists. Especially ones considerably less sophisticated."  
The Winchesters were surprised by the firm tone, but Sheppard didn't react. Teyla and Ronon moved to stand beside her, meaning she was flanked on all sides. Woolsey glanced between them.  
"Perhaps we should continue this in my office. Are they not the men we had in the Brig?"  
Woolsey had finally noticed the three men watching from the side. Chimera grinned, showing of a pair of sharp canines.  
"I met them a day or two ago. They happen to be very important to my reason for being here. Sheppard, I think we need to talk."  
She turned to the Colonel and nodded towards a section of glass in the wall. Her entire bearing and the tone of her voice showed the authority she possessed underneath her carefree demeanour. The pilot stood his ground.  
"You can trust him Chimera."  
It was silent for a moment as she searched his face, before she finally nodded.  
"Alright. Please call for Doctor Mackay to the Conference Room."  
She said the last line to a tech at one of the consoles, before sweeping past and into a large round room. Dean saw the pilot nodd to the tech, confirming the order, before following the girl. he glanced at his brother, who shrugged.  
"She seems to know this place really well."  
He muttered as they walked into the Conference Room.  
"Looks like she wasn't lying about being an Alien from another galaxy."  
Dean grunted, eyeing up the tall silent man with the dreadlocks. There was an almost feral look to his grin as he folded muscular arms and sat back in his seat. The tanned woman beside him though, gave a soft smile as the boys sat. Chimera stood to one side watching with a smile. She saw that the round table had been replaced with some long rectangular mahogany one and raised an eyebrow to Sheppard. The man shrugged, nodding towards Woolsey, who was sat at the end of the table, taking a seat beside Teyla. Chimera rolled her eyes, standing at the opposite end of the table, arms crossed and feet apart, lost in thought. She was pleased to see Sheppard, Ronon and Teyla again, but to hear that Weir had died shortly after she had left, that had been a blow. Chimera couldn't help but wonder if there had been anything she could have left for them to contact her with. She kept coming up blank, but that didn't make things any better.  
"Why am I being called up here? I have important work to do and even if we got hold of those two lunatics, I would be of no use standing around during the questioning, when I have….."  
Rodney's rant trailed of as he saw Chimera standing at the end of the table. She smiled.  
"Must be hard to admit that there is something you can't do Rodney."  
The scientist gaped.  
"I never said I couldn't. Hang on, how did you get here?"  
"I flew."  
Chimera said, moving round to take a seat opposite Sheppard.  
"What? How? In a ship?"  
Chimera threw him a look that clearly showed her opinion on that question.  
"No Rodney, I magically grew wings and decided to test their endurance between here and the Pegasus Galaxy."  
Rodney scowled, but before he could say anything, Sheppard cut him of.  
"Rodney, sit down."  
The scientist huffed and took a seat beside Sheppard.  
"But we searched for a ship and found nothing there."  
Chimera grinned, saying nothing. Woolsey cleared his throat and the feline gave him a cursory glance.  
"Why are you on Earth, Chimera?"  
She sat back, clasping her hands together.  
"I got bored of the Pegasus Galaxy. Thought I would explore the Milky Way. Ended up on Earth. Why? Am I not welcome here?"  
"How did you find us?"  
Sheppard asked, distracting everyone from the obvious baiting. Chimera nodded to the Winchesters and Castiel.  
"Met these three adorable characters and they told me about this strange sci-fi like prison they were kept in, guarded by Marines. I asked who they spoke to and your name came up. Add to that, I saw you when you arrested the boys and it didn't take much to put it all together."  
Sheppard frowned and Teyla leant forward.  
"You saw us arresting these men?"  
"Just Sheppard. He was driving a van and right after I saw him, I stole a very nice car that reeked of these two."  
Dean shifted in his seat and saw Ronon smirk.  
"You're the one who stole the car?"  
Woolsey said.  
Chimera shrugged.  
"Why? Did you want it? I needed a ride after mine had been found by the police."  
Sheppard ran a hand over his face.  
"That wasn't a red Jaguar convertible by any chance, was it?"  
Chimera said nothing but her grin spoke volumes. Sheppard shook his head, his own smile forming.  
"I didn't see you. I would have stopped if I had."  
Chimera shook her head.  
"You did see me, you just didn't think anything odd about a cat sitting on a garden wall. Even if it was the Kennedys house."  
Ronon laughed.  
"You said there seemed something odd about that cat Sheppard."  
Sam and Dean exchanged looks, shaking their heads. Sheppard sat back.  
"Never put it together that you would be on Earth, till we spoke to these two. When we didn't find a ship in orbit, we figured it wasn't you."  
Woolsey cleared his throat.  
"As amusing as all this is, we still have a situation to resolve."  
"Such as why you were at the harbour late at night and what happened to the crew? We thought we were chasing down a Goa'uld."  
Sheppard fixed Chimera with a firm look, but she just shrugged.  
"They thought they were chasing a Demon. We all make mistakes. I on the other hand, was chasing the actual Goa'uld, but my hunt had to be cut short when I found out that things were much bigger than I anticipated."  
Rodney snorted.  
"Wait a minute, are you actually saying you believe these two idiots?"  
"Says the guy who lives on an alien city from another galaxy, in the middle of the ocean?"  
Sam responded quickly. Rodney looked indignant.  
"Advanced technology is at least believable compared to magic and monsters in the dark."  
Chimera rolled her eyes and smiled as she saw Sheppard do the same thing.  
"Cas, do you mind showing these uneducated individuals something to prove the boys speak true? Thank you."  
Castiel nodded, then vanished, reappearing behind Chimera who didn't even flinch. Then the lights flickered, Sheppard pulled out his earpiece as a high pitched whine erupted from it and then a massive pair of shadow-like wings flared over the wall. Chimera grinned at the shocked looks on the Atlanteans faces.  
"I do believe I haven't made proper introductions. This is Castiel, an Angel of the Lord and these are two of the Hunters who protect Humans from the creatures that haunt the shadows, Sam and Dean Winchester."  
Chimera pulled over the files from in front of Dean, tossing them to Sheppard.  
"And this is the reason I brought them back to Atlantis. You're going to need our help."

"This is completely wrong."  
Doctor Carson Beckett looked up from the file in his hands.  
"Where did you get this?"  
Chimera shrugged from where she stood, arms crossed, leaning against an empty bed in the Medical Bay of Atlantis.  
"I covertly acquired it from a large Pharmaceutical company in San Francisco. "  
Sheppard snorted.  
"That means you stole it."  
The Shape shifter grinned smugly. Beckett smiled, shaking his head, before going back to the file in his hand. He had been surprised to see Chimera on Atlantis and greeted her with great enthusiasm, chiding her for taking so long to return.  
What company was it, love?"  
"A place called Bains Pharmaceutical."  
Carson looked surprised.  
"Really? That's not good. You said this was a breakdown report for a new vaccine, but as far as I can tell, nothing in this would have any practical use in a vaccine. In fact, I don't know what most of these things are."  
Chimera nodded.  
"I recognise some of the components, but not in a medical capacity. I have used some of them in various technological designs. That's why it didn't make sense to use it in a vaccine. That and the large amount of Quartz they had shipped in under the radar."  
Sheppard looked at her in surprise.  
"They had an illegal delivery?"  
Chimera gave him a pained look.  
"Why else do you think they would be connected to the disappearance of the crew on the docks? How did you know to go from the Docks to the Kennedy House anyway?"  
Sheppard scowled.  
"We hacked the cameras and knew they had a delivery. I thought the black sedans escorting it was suspicious, but I haven't been able to chase it up yet. As for tracking it back to Bains Pharmaceutical, we just had to track the stolen convertible that was following the container."  
Chimera gave a guilty shrug.  
"What can I say? I needed a ride. Anyway, The Helix delivered around fifty tonnes of Quartz and the crew died for it. No doubt, to keep them quiet and to make sure the payment was no longer needed."  
Sheppard glanced at Rodney and Beckett, who were pouring over the science reports. Then he glanced at the Winchester's and their stoic companion, who were gazing out of the window with amazement, the city spread out beneath them, gleaming in the bright sun.  
"How did they enter your daring hunt?"  
Chimera followed his gaze.  
"Fate perhaps? I met Dean, the older one, at a bar when I first arrived in San Francisco. A few days later, I found their car after you arrested them. Naturally, I was curious. Nothing can track me, yet they had. Digging through their car, I found a whole new level to this world and I understood why I caused such resentment in them."  
Chimera shoved away from the table gracefully and stretched.  
"They tracked the car to where I was hiding it after hearing the police were looking for it. Did you know, they have a device in their car that taps into the police communication? After that, we had a chat and Castiel showed me he really is an Angel."  
"So, how did they track you?"  
The Therian grinned as she sat beside Sheppard.  
"They didn't. They were following up on the strange light show at the docks, just like you. They tracked it back to the Kennedy's and saw me through the window. Everyone has been tracking the Goa'uld in their own way and it's led us all to the same point."  
Castiel had turned back to watch them as they spoke, the Winchester's having some form of argument in the background. Suddenly, Rodney stood up straight.  
"Oh."  
"What is it?"  
"Oh this is not good."  
Sheppard rolled his eyes.  
"Rodney."  
The scientist looked at him for a moment.  
"This vaccine is definitely not of medical use. Almost all of these ingredients are used as components in Goa'uld technology."  
Sheppard glanced between Rodney and Carson.  
"To do what?"  
Rodney huffed.  
"Well I don't know. I've only just started looking at it."  
The Winchesters wandered closer as Sheppard gave Rodney a stern look, but it was Carson who continued.  
"As far as we can tell Colonel, the components in the vaccine, are designed to interfere with the cranial structure."  
Dean scowled at the Scot.  
"What?"  
"It reacts with the chemical makeup up of the brain, son. I'll have a closer look, but it sure would be easier with an actual sample to examine."  
Chimera flared her hands out in a shrug.  
"I tried Carson, but the guards found us in the main office and we had to scarper. I wanted a section of the quartz as well. I suspected they were using it to form some kind of relay within the vaccines before I ever saw the file."  
Sheppard ran a hand through his hair in frustration as Chimera continued.  
"The Goa'uld are running this and you can guarantee it's not to make a safer, healthier world. Not that you lot are succeeding as it is. What concerns me the most, is that Bains Pharmaceutical is a military supplier. That can only mean that they are trying to get the military out of the way."  
Carson nodded.  
"Aye, Chimera is right. Bains Pharmaceutical is one of the largest suppliers we have. Most of our stuff comes through them. We get access to new supplies and medicine long before the public."  
Sam crossed his arms, looking concerned.  
"That means that this vaccine will be released into the military and according to the emails we read, it's practically ready for distribution."  
"Did the emails say where they will be distributing first?"  
Carson asked, but everyone looked downcast when Sam shook his head. They were silent for several minutes, thinking over their options, when Chimera suddenly spoke.  
"Travis Air Base."  
Sheppard looked at her in surprise. Dean and Sam glanced at each other in sudden understanding.  
"What?"  
Chimera looked up at Sheppard, standing to pace restlessly as she thought.  
"Travis Air Base. When I was in the Kennedys house, I heard them talking to a guest about using Travis Air Base for something. A test phase I think. Then when we were looking at the emails, it had doctors notes on various patients of different ranks, all on Travis Air Base. The emails didn't say the delivery was going there, but I keep hearing that name."  
Sheppard glanced at Carson who gave a half hearted shrug.  
"It's close by and small. Would make sense ta send the first batch there."  
Sheppard nodded.  
"Carson, contact the doctors at Travis Air Base and try to stop them using those vaccines."  
Teyla stepped forward, placing a hand on Sheppards arm.  
"Colonel, if we interfer, will that not alert the Goa'uld? If they think we have found out about their plan, will they not find another method?"  
Chimera nodded.  
"Teyla is right. What you need, is someone who is not known to have a connection with the Stargate. They sneak in, grab a few of the vaccines and destroy the rest. Say, accidental fire perhaps?"  
Sheppard thought for a moment.  
"Who could we send in though?"  
Chimera glanced at the Winchesters and grinned.  
"Well, we have two young, fit lads who fit just perfectly. Dress them up as soldiers, give them the necessary passes and I have no doubt they can lie through their teeth when needed."  
Dean snorted.  
"What makes you think we want any part of this?"  
Chimera smiled.  
"Because you're still here, which means you're curious and you want to see this case to the end."  
Sheppard eyed the boys up.  
"Can we trust them?"  
He asked the Shapeshifter. She shrugged.  
"I don't see why not. They might be cranky and suspicious, but I get the feeling, they aim to help people. Anyway, I can always go with them and keep an eye on them. I can make sure they pick up the right vials to."  
The pilot looked at her skeptically.  
"I don't know Chimera. Your yellow eyes and lack of Earth knowledge is a little harder to cover up."  
She glared at him.  
"I will have you know, I am perfectly at home in a military setting. It is not much different here, then when I was in command of the Therian Starfleet. Give me a rank no one can oppose and make sure these two can't be ordered by anyone other than me and everything will be fine. The Winchesters are not the only ones who can creatively lie on the spot."  
Seeing the easy confidence in her eyes, Sheppard nodded.  
"Okay. I'll run it past Woolsey."  
He glanced at the Winchesters who exchanged a look, before nodding their agreement. As he vanished out of the Medical Bay doors, Chimera called out.  
"Sunglasses would be appreciated as well."  
He waved a hand in acknowledgment and was gone.


	11. Home Again

Home Again

Sheppard found Chimera on one of the Balconies of the Control Tower. She stood overlooking the sunlit sea and didn't move as he came to stand beside her.  
"I saw Atlantis on my first day in San Francisco."  
She said suddenly. He looked at her in surprise.  
"I was sitting on top of a tower on the large red bridge over there. As I stood up to leave, I noticed something shimmering behind the Island. I thought it was a trick of my eyes, but now I know, it was the cloak over Atlantis. It looked familiar, but I thought you were still in the Pegasus Galaxy. I never imagined that the city was here on Earth."  
Sheppard looked to where the Golden Gate Bridge stood proudly in the distance. He said nothing for a moment.  
"You were on top of one of the suspension towers?"  
He asked in amazement. She gave him an amused smile.  
"Yes. Was a beautiful place to watch the sun set."  
He shook his head and said no more on the subject, a bemused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
"Woolsey wasn't sure about your idea, but General Landry said to go for it. He's getting the necessary paperwork organised. A bit of computer work should easily change your eyes to suit."  
Chimera nodded absently, then frowned.  
"General Landry?"  
"He's the General in charge of Stargate Command. As its a military base we want to infiltrate, Woolsey wanted to confer with him."  
"Ah yes. I vaguely remember you mentioning him. A charming man if I recall. I saw him conferring with Elizabeth over video at one point."  
They fell silent for a moment, lost in their thoughts.  
"I'm sorry, to hear about Elizabeth. I know you were fond of her. Everyone was."  
Sheppard smiled sadly.  
"She was indeed. Brave as well."  
They fell silent once more. Sheppard leant on the railing, his hands clasped as they both gazed across the ocean.  
"We never stopped looking for you. You had a strong effect on us, despite being in Atlantis for such a short time."  
Chimera looked at the railing, running a hand over it as she smiled softly.  
"I know. I would hear of the green clad people who defied the Wraith, who had been asking about a yellow eyed girl. They would offer me a place to stay, until your next visit."  
The pilot looked at her.  
"You never did?"  
"No. Sometimes I wanted to, but I had my own mission to follow and I didn't want to cause trouble. Nor did I want to risk any Atlanteans livelihood by deny your government their orders. I had no doubt they would want more then I was willing to provide."  
Sheppard straightened with a frown.  
"Teyla and Ronon were left alone in Atlantis."  
Chimera sighed.  
"Teyla is handy as an Ambassador. Ronon has proven himself by fighting alongside and both know where Atlantis is located. Discarding them is not an option, but you bring forward an Alien who is from a far advanced race and can run circles, not only around your military strategists, but your scientists as well, what do you think they would say? I have vast knowledge of the workings of our weapons, ships and shields, Sheppard and experience in commanding an entire fleet in a galactic battle."  
Sheppard nodded, his shoulders slumping. He knew she was right. The knowledge Chimera possessed would be a goldmine to the American Government. Beside him, the Alien shook her head.  
"So, what more can you tell me of our daring plan?"  
Grateful for the change of topic, Sheppard shrugged.  
"I believe they plan to make you a Special Agent of the OSI."  
"Who?"  
"Office of Special Investigation. Basically, they are the Air Force police. Any crime involving a member of the Air Force is automatically transferred to the OSI. You outrank everyone in the Air Force, except of course ones like the Secretary General, but it's highly unlikely you will ever face someone like that. The Winchester's will be two of your Junior Agents and thus under your command only."  
Chimera nodded slowly, processing the information.  
"Do these police not have a commander of their own?"  
"A Director in charge of the OSI, but he is a very close friend of General Landry and has agreed to cover for you if necessary. You also have General Jack O'Neills backing."  
Chimera grinned.  
"That's some heavy backup Sheppard. Isn't O'Neill from the very first team? The infamous SG1?"  
Sheppard laughed.  
"Yes he is. The former leader, till he got promoted to Brigadier General. A good man. Tends to like to stick it to the man, even after he became the man."  
Chimera gave a short bark of a laugh, turning away from the railing. Sheppard turned and joined her as they returned inside.  
"So, how long before we can get access to Travis Air Base and what's our story?"  
"A couple of days at most. We will sort out the details tomorrow. For now though, how about you join us for dinner in the Mess? It's been a long time and I think we would all love to catch up."  
Chimera nodded, giving him a disarming smile.  
"Sounds good.

Chimera adjusted the black jacket, looking at herself in the mirror. The white shirt and black casuals showed of her figure and the high heels would be only a minor hindrance in any altercation that may occur. Although, at five foot eight already, the extra three inches of height put her on equal ground with Dean. She knew she was tall for a woman, especially among her own people and she was no stick either. Strongly built and tall had made her even more menacing in uniform and she had perfected the hard expressions needed for the more troublesome of crew. Watching the Senators and their followers squirm when faced with her ire had always been amusing as well. She sighed as her thoughts drifted back to those times, then she shook her head and twisted, examining her reflection again. Satisfied, she turned away and strode out into the hallway, heading to the Control Tower, where Sheppard and the team waited. People stared as she walked past, so use to seeing her in the more casual and menacing, black leather outfit. Grinning, Chimera held her head high and strutted proudly into the Control Room. Sam and Dean were not there yet, but their quarters had been placed further away and they no doubt wished to talk between themselves before joining everyone. Teyla greeted the feline with a smile and an inclination of her head. Chimera returned both, then smiled at Sheppard, who had turned around. Woolsey was grinning at her, dressed in his own impeccable suit and Rodney was tapping away at his tablet. He glanced up briefly, grunted and returned to his work.  
"You all set?"  
Sheppard asked, giving her a quick once over.  
"I'm good, though I do wish you would let me take some weapons. I feel quite uncomfortable without anything."  
Sheppard raised an eyebrow.  
"You have claws and I have seen how lethal they are. Actually, as a Special Agent of the OSI, you would be permitted to carry a firearm and you need a badge."  
He handed her a holstered gun and a shiny shield to be clipped to her belts. Once in place, she unclipped the gun and examined it, testing its weight in her hands. She raised it, to check its sights and saw the Winchesters coming up the stairs.  
"Wow, who gave her a gun? Was that a smart idea?"  
Dean said, raising his hands in mock concern. They were also dressed in black suits and Chimera couldn't help but run her gaze over both of them with a slight smile.  
"Chimera is one of our most trusted allies."  
Surprisingly, it was Richard Woolsey who spoke. She looked at him in amazement and he gave a coy shrug. It seemed he had done his homework since they last met. Chimera uncocked the Beretta and reholstered it.  
"I prefer knives."  
Sheppard rolled his eyes.  
"You are not carrying knives around. Regulations state that you can carry a handgun."  
Chimera huffed, though in truth, she didn't really care. In the Therian Starfleet, she had been trained to use many different weapons, including her claws. Saying that, her instructors had marvelled at her skill to turn anything within reach, into a weapon. Especially after she had been captured on an exercise and escaped by killing her captors with an apple, her cuffs and the key to her cell. No one had ever been able to quite figure out how she did it. Chimera pulled herself back to the present, listening to Sheppard as he handed the gun and badges to the Winchesters.  
"As far as Colonel Smith is concerned, you are investigating stolen goods from the supplies around the base. It's been happening in a few of the bases and you're investigating this base first. Supplies have gone missing, from ammunition and clothes to rations and medical supplies. Should give you access to whatever you need on the base."  
"Whats Colonel Smith like?"  
Chimera asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the console.  
"I don't know him but he has a good background and word is he is loyal and good to his men."  
Chimera raised an eyebrow. Sheppard shrugged.  
"General O'Neill knows him though and says you should get along just fine."  
"What happens if things go south?"  
Dean asked, studying the badge, before clipping it into place. Sheppard and Woolsey exchanged a look.  
"Stick to the story and it shouldn't."  
Chimera shook her head, rolling her eyes.  
"You know better than anyone Sheppard, the importance of having a plan B."  
"and C, D E and F."  
Rodney added from the side without looking up. Sheppard threw him a glare.  
"General Landry and General O'Neill will deal with any problems. You just get yourselves in and out with minimal trouble. Get a vial of the vaccine and destroy the rest."  
"You're no fun."  
Chimera said with a pout. Dean rolled his eyes.  
"That's another thing. Why is she in charge?"  
Dean ignored the elbow Sam rammed into his ribs and Sheppard crossed his arms with a frown.  
"Chimera is in charge because she has no connection to anyone on this planet. Any enquiries about her, will come up blank and it is the leader who will be most memorable to anyone you meet. Secondly, I just don't trust you."  
Chimera straightened.  
"Sheppard, as much as I appreciate you defending me, please don't. I can speak for myself. Also, you may not trust them, but I do. They may seem shady with their criminal background or supposed Death Certificates, but I can tell that there is more to their story then we know."  
Teyla stepped forward.  
"Should we not focus on the mission?"  
Sheppard nodded, backing away.  
"There is a car waiting for you at the Docks and a GPS programmed for Travis Air Base. A helicopter will pick you up in a minute. This phone has General O'Neill's number, General Landry's number, a direct line to Atlantis and my number."  
This last was said as he brandished a mobile from a pocket in his trousers.  
"You get into any trouble, you give one of us a call."  
Chimera took the offered phone and she tossed it to Sam.  
"Most people on this world seem to use these devices. I am assuming you have at least one on you at all times. Transfer the numbers, in case we get separated."  
Sam glanced at his brother, who shrugged and pulled out his phone.  
"Anything else we need to know?"  
Sheppard glanced at Woolsey, then shook his head.  
"Not really. Just be careful, try not kill anyone and if you do meet enemy resistance, get yourselves out and worry about repercussions later."  
Chimera smiled.  
"Better to ask forgiveness, than seek permission."  
"That sounds a plan."  
Sheppard backed of, putting a hand to his ear as his radio buzzed. Woolsey gave Chimera a nod.  
"Good luck, Commander."  
The rank surprised Chimera, who frowned. Woolsey smiled.  
"I read your files."  
Chimera bowed her head and smiled as the diplomat returned to his office. She found Teyla suddenly appeared beside her.  
"Can you truly trust them Chimera?"  
Chimera followed the Athosians gaze to the Winchesters, who stood looking at the Stargate.  
"When I stole their car Teyla, I stole everything they had ever owned. They have grown up on the road, running from the laws of this world and the creatures they hunt in the shadows. I read their father's journal and I began to understand them in a whole new way. Perhaps I can not trust them, but my instincts say I can."  
Teyla watched the Therian for a moment.  
"Your instincts have led you well so far. If you trust the two men, then perhaps they deserve it."  
Chimera scowled at that, remembering how her instincts had warned her against certain orders and had cost the Therian Empire an entire planet and her a ship, crew and career.  
"Indeed. We should listen to our instincts more often."  
Ronon was stood beside the Winchesters and gave Chimera a nod when he saw her watching. The big Satedan matched Sam for height, but his broad shoulders, fierce expression and wild dreadlocks made him far more menacing. Sheppard stepped into view.  
"Your helicopter is waiting."  
He looked concerned as she stood.  
"You call if you have any problems."  
"Sheppard, relax. We are on Earth and all three of us can take care of ourselves. Yes, we will call if things get out of hand."  
"Don't be too confident. The Goa'uld can be dangerous."  
Chimera put her hands on her hips.  
"I know. I also know that the ones left are minor Goa'uld who have very little power and spend most of their time scared that SG1 will appear. We will be fine and I am not going without backup. If need be, I can get us out of the Base in a flash, as can Castiel."  
Sheppard frowned.  
"Is he going with you?"  
"Ha, bless the Underworld, no he isn't coming with us. He is staying here. All we have to do is pray. Though, I get the feeling that when he says he will stay here, I think he means literally in that spot."  
They both turned concerned looks on the Angel who was stood to one side, watching everyone.  
"I'll figure something out."  
Sheppard muttered and Chimera nodded.  
"Just be careful with sarcasm. Goes right over his head."  
With that, she put two fingers in her mouth and released a shrill whistle. Everyone turned to look at her and she tossed her head at the Winchesters.  
"Come on. Our ride is here."  
The boys rolled their eyes again, hurrying to catch up with her. Ronon and Teyla came to stand beside Sheppard, watching the trio as they left the Gateroom.  
"This is going to be fun."  
Sheppard said with a worried look. Ronon shrugged.  
"She knows what she's doing."  
"I hope you're right."  
Teyla laid a comforting hand on the Atlanteans arm.


	12. Infiltration

Infiltration

Colonel Alan Smith was a sharp faced man with a no nonsense attitude and short cropped salt and pepper hair. He studied the three Agents stood before him with piercing grey eyes that few could meet for more than a few seconds. The woman before him though, lounged in her seat with an easy grace and a knowing smile, almost as if she owned the place.  
Just because she has a badge though, doesn't make her gods gift to the Air Force.  
The Colonel thought in annoyance. The Agent had not removed her sunglasses since entering his office, which made reading her slightly more difficult, adding to his annoyance. Her two companions were a little less at ease as they stood to attention behind her. Colonel Smith sighed, handing back the badge he had insisted on seeing.  
"So, you say you are here to investigate a series of missing supplies?"  
The girl crossed her legs and flipped back her long honey gold hair, her hands settling, laced together on her lap.  
"Stolen supplies Colonel. A vast network has been 'fudging the figures' so to speak. A black market dealing is of course expected in an organisation such as the military, but it has grown far too big for its boots. Some of the figures are becoming noticeable now and well, the higher power are not feeling so happy to turn a blind eye when the numbers are large enough to basically call them idiots."  
The Colonel nodded. He understood the black market was an ever present nuisance. His mind wandered back to his lunch with General O'Neill. The man had warned him that a Special Agent was coming to investigate a branch of this Network, warning him that she was a 'one of a kind' girl. In the General's words, "Play nice and she might not bite. Piss her off and by god, you better evacuate the base. At least."  
Colonel Smith eyed her up and could not quite understand the General's warning. All he saw was a pretty and confident, yet very young woman. Colonel Smith decided he didn't want to understand. If the General said to tread carefully, then carefully he would tread.  
"You will have the full co-operation of my men, Agent Felix. I have rooms prepared for you and your men."  
Agent Felix gave a tight smile when he said her name. She stood up and gave a slight bow of her head.  
"Thank you Colonel."  
She swept out of the room with an almost noble grace, her two junior Agents following. When the door shut behind them, Chimera spit.  
"Felix. Real clever. I'm going to kill whichever bright spark on Atlantis came up with that cover name for me."  
Dean grunted as he followed the feline stalking down the hallway.  
"Yeah. Real sense of humour. Was probably that Flyboy in charge."  
Sam shook his head with a smile. Instead of commenting, he offered a change of topic.  
"What's our next move?"  
Chimera shoved a door open and stepped out into the Californian sunlight. She eyed up a passing soldier heading inside, who gave the feline a nervous salute. A recruit she suspected.  
"I am going to check out the Medical Bay. You two check out the main gate and security footage."  
She stalked away without a backwards glance and the boys exchanged a look before turning to the main gate.  
Chimera entered the small Medical Bay and peered round carefully. The whitewash walls made the room brighter as the sun shone through the narrow windows. The beds lined either side and their green sheets were razor neat. It brought a keen sense of familiarity and a strong desire to flee. She hated Medical Bays. No matter which Galaxy or race, they were all the same. Steeling herself, she made her way down the room, the soft beeping of a couple of computers catching her attention. A pair of Nurses watched her as they checked the two patients in the Ward. She gave the Nurses a nod and received a smile from one patient who was lucid. The other was suffering a feverish sleep. A dark skinned man in a white coat appeared in the doorway of the Ward. Chimera raised her badge.  
"Special Agent Felix of the OSI. I need to inspect your files and stores."  
The doctor looked at her for a moment.  
"I'm sorry. You want to inspect everything? Why?"  
Chimera gave him a sharp smile.  
"I'm following a case that requires me to inspect your facilities."  
The doctor crossed his arms, scowling at her.  
"You think you will understand the documentation we have?"  
"That is why I was sent. I have Colonel Smith's assurance that I will have complete co-operation."  
The doctor looked none to impressed but he moved out of her way and gestured back the way he had come. She swept past and found herself in a hallway. To her left was an office, a window overlooking the Ward. It was small, with a desk against one wall and a filing cabinet by the door.  
She took up the patient seat beside the desk and peered out of the window.  
"What's wrong with your patient's, doctor?"  
The man joined her and indicated the lucid patient.  
"He got a bad case of Pneumonia while overseas. The other didn't tell anyone he got injured during training, or that it had gotten infected. Has a strong distrust of doctors I believe. He was brought in when he collapsed."  
Chimera leant forward, elbows on knees.  
"Injured how?"  
The doctor huffed.  
"A small scratch on his side when he took a tumble on the cross country courses. Something that should never have gotten to this stage. A bit off disinfectant and a cover and he would have been just fine."  
The doctor turned to face her and waved a hand around his office.  
"What can I help you with Agent Felix?"  
She threw him a smile.  
"You can start with your name doctor, then show me the latest delivery invoices."  
The doctor nodded and pulled open a drawer to his filing cabinet.  
"My name is Doctor Henders. Can I ask what you are looking for?"  
He handed her the files and Chimera had a quick look through the first few.  
"I'm afraid that while a case is ongoing, it is not advised to divulge too many details. These are dated from last month, have you had nothing in since?"  
Henders shrugged.  
"We are a small base in a quiet place. The amount of patients that visit the infirmary during a month is miniscule. We only need to have supplies delivered on a monthly basis and we have plenty of extra supplies in the event of an emergency."  
Chimera didn't seem to be listening as her eyes scanned the latest invoice. She looked up and nodded.  
"Makes sense. When do you expect your next delivery?"  
Henders took his seat at the desk and shuffled through some papers on his desk.  
"The day after tomorrow."  
He said eventually. Chimera closed the file and laid it on the desk.  
"Do you have an inventory for the delivery already or does that arrive with it?"  
The man smiled, his teeth bright white against his darkened skin.  
"This is the Air Force Agent. All paperwork is usually in triplicate. I'll see if I can dig it out for you."  
He shook the mouse on his desk to wake his pc up and began clicking on different files. Chimera leant back and watched the nurses checking over the patient's, bringing food to the recovering pneumonia victim.  
"Ah, here we go."  
Henders wheeled his chair back so that Chimera could get a closer look. She scanned the list rapidly, searching for the vaccines from Bains Pharmaceuticals. Henders watched her with a frown.  
"How much of that list makes sense to you?"  
The Alien shrugged.  
"All of it, though your uses for many of these items are so far from practical, it's amazing you get any successes from them. You have a delivery from Bains Pharmaceuticals but it doesn't state what it is. Why?"  
The doctor stared at her in confusion, before shaking his head and clearing his throat.  
"Uh, I uh. I believe it is a new vaccine for testing. We are a small base, perfect for testing new drugs on the men before distributing to the whole army."  
She scowled.  
"So, you are using your men as guinea pigs? What is the vaccine for?"  
Henders shifted a little under the felines disapproval.  
It's a new vaccine on Smallpox and Measles. Many of these men will be going overseas to countries prone to these illnesses, so it makes sense to use the test phase here."  
Chimera stood up, ignoring the doctor's weak attempt to justify the situation.  
"I need to see where the delivery will take place and where the supplies are all stored."  
Henders nodded and led the way. He turned left, heading further down the hallway and into a large garage like space. A big corrugated door filled one wall and shelves of boxes stood against the opposite, a small door facing them as they entered.  
"The truck comes in here and the supplies are offloaded to one side. Any supplies to be taken out and shipped overseas sit labeled on the shelves. Other then that, the supplies that don't need temperature control sit in here or the storeroom at the back."  
He waved a hand at the door opposite them, then turned and took a few steps back into the hallway, opening a door to his right with a keycard and passcode. Chimera followed and found a dark room, filled with lit up cooling units.  
"This is where any temperature controlled supplies are kept. Ones like the vaccine coming in that need to stay cool or cultures that are frozen until they reach the main labs for testing."  
Chimera scanned the room, then turned to the door as she heard someone approach. A nurse appeared in the door and offered Chimera a friendly smile.  
"Doctor, Private Ainsley has just been brought in. He's broken his leg in training."  
Henders nodded.  
"I'll be right there."  
The nurse left and he turned to Chimera.  
"If you'll excuse me."  
"Duty calls. I understand. I just want to have a brief look around and then I will be gone Doctor Henders. Thank you for your help."  
The doctor hesitated for a moment then nodded, hurrying out of the door to see his newest patient. Chimera examined the refrigeration units, looking at the positions and their wiring. Then she moved to the loading bay and examined that and the storeroom. Content with the layout and security of the infirmary, she strode down the hallway. She passed the doctor who was splinting a young soldier's leg with the aid of one nurse, while the second was injecting the soldier. No doubt with painkillers. His two friends were laughing to one side, rehashing the accident between themselves, until they saw her. One gave a wolf whistle, which received a glare strong enough to have him cringing, but the other gave a respectful nod.  
"Ma'am."  
She smiled, returning his nod and swept out of the door. She headed across the grass to the main gate to find the Winchesters, her acute hearing picking up the rumble of engines across the runway behind her. She could hear the shouts of a drill sergeant, smell the sweat from his tired men as they stood to attention on the hot tarmac and then flinched at the screech of a jet shot past behind them and took of, banking over her head. Chimera watched it vanish into the sky and when she looks down, she saw the Winchesters coming towards her.  
"Find anything?"  
She asked as they came to a halt. Dean snorted.  
"Not a damn thing. There have been no deliveries in the last week, except for an ammunition truck two days ago."  
"Security footage backed up that story. Mostly just soldiers going or returning from leave or soldiers heading to training fields outside the base. What about you?"  
Sam added on the side. Chimera nodded to the barracks as she spoke.  
"I had more luck. According to the Medical records, they have a delivery of supplies just once a month. Last month was to soon, but the next delivery is just the day after tomorrow and Bains Pharmaceuticals are on the expected items list. It doesn't state what the vaccine is, but according to Doctor Henders, it is a test group for a new vaccine on smallpox and Measles."  
"Well great. So we're kicking our heels for two days while we wait on this delivery?"  
Chimera grinned at Dean.  
"Afraid so. I had a look at the delivery bay and storeroom. The loading bay is the best place to steal one, as the storeroom has a keycard and passcode security, but the loading bay is going to be full of personnel seeing to the unloading and sorting. Now, the storeroom is the best place to destroy the vaccine. I can rig it to look like an electrical failure and ensure the fire system won't work either. We just need to get past the security."  
Sam frowned.  
"Is there any way you can hack the security system?"  
Chimera shrugged.  
"Probably. My crew were able to hack the largest bank accounts in the world without leaving a trace. I was hoping not to involve them though. I'll see what Rodney can do, but we risk the investigators figuring out that the security was hacked, meaning they will assume the fire was deliberate. I will also need to do something about the cameras."  
Dean looked concerned.  
"Cameras?"  
The Alien gave him a sour look.  
"Yes Dean. Cameras. There are two in the hallway alone, another two in the delivery bay and one in the storeroom. There are also a couple in the Medical Bay. It's a military base darling. They like to keep an eye on their minions."  
Sam glanced around warily.  
"Won't they get our pictures from the cameras?"  
"Only if they think the fire was of a suspicious nature. If they think it is a fault with the wiring, then they will have no need to look for suspicious people. So let's not give them reason to look. Let me sort out the fire itself and we can worry about the finer details over dinner. I'm starved."

Chimera sat in the room Colonel Smith had provided for her. She could hear the boys talking in Dean's room across the hall, but paid little attention to what was being said. Her focus was on the tablet in her hands as she studied the blueprints of the base Rodney had emailed to her. She heard the door opposite hers open and close, but the footsteps did not move away.  
"It's open."  
The heartbeat on the other side stuttered slightly and she rolled her eyes. The door opened and Dean slipped through, eyeing her warily.  
"How did you...?"  
He indicated the door as he shut it and Chimera raised an eyebrow, her yellow gaze focused sharply on him.  
"Right, alien cat. I remember."  
Chimera went back to studying the tablet on her lap, her feet up on the table as she lounged in a chair. Dean shuffled and crossed his arms, glancing around the room in his silence. He was dressed in his usual jeans and a T-shirt.  
"Sit. Down."  
Chimera hissed and the Hunter glared at her before taking a seat on the bed.  
"Sam went to get dinner."  
The feline raised an eyebrow again but did not look up from the screen.  
"So, you decided to come and lurk in the corner while we wait?"  
Dean scowled.  
"No. I was more wondering what the plan is now?"  
Chimera turned of the tablet, setting it on the table and replacing her feet on the floor, crossing them.  
"Well, we need to keep up the pretence of our investigation. We can start with the Medical Staff. Surely this would be best discussed with your brother present."  
Dean shrugged before nodding.  
"So what do you want to talk about?"  
Chimera stared at him, her expression blank, until he dropped eye contact. She grinned. Not many could keep eye contact with her and very few had ever lasted as long as he had.  
"I should ask you that, seeing as you sought me out."  
Dean cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, freezing slightly when a bottle of beer appeared in front of him. He glanced at Chimera, who he hadn't heard move and nodded gratefully. The Alien turned away, sauntering back to the fridge and pulling out a bar of chocolate. She leant against it, watching Dean as she broke of a square and slipped it into her mouth.  
"You seem familiar with the flyboy on the floating city."  
Chimera smiled.  
"You mean Sheppard? What's the matter? Jealous?"  
Dean snorted.  
"Hell no."  
Chimera laughed, returning to her seat by the table.  
"I do know Sheppard, to a certain degree. It's been a few years since we last met. I've been, out of contact, you could say. His team were the ones that woke me up in the Pegasus Galaxy."  
"Hang on. You mean, there are people from Earth, travelling the stars?"  
Chimera broke of another square of chocolate, nodding.  
"Oh yes. You found a device on your planet, that was able to open a contained wormhole between two devices, or Gates. After several years of using these Gates and meeting new races, they realised that if they added an extra coordinate, then they could travel to another Galaxy. Doctor Jackson, a renowned archaeologist on the frontline team, SG1, believed it was Atlantis. A team was put together, of volunteers and they went through the Stargate, finding the city we were on before here."  
Dean took a drink, trying to process everything.  
"So, why is it here?"  
Chimera shrugged.  
"Far as I can tell, the Wraith, the race trying to destroy Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy, found a way to Earth and Atlantis came to stop them, severely damaging herself in the process. Now she is stranded here."  
Dean stood up to place his empty bottle on the table, taking a seat opposite Chimera. He frowned.  
"And, they found you on this city? Was it really underwater?"  
"Yes, it was submerged to protect it from the Wraith. It would have been devastating if they got their hands on such powerful technology. It makes theirs look like children's toys. They didn't find me straight away. I was in a Stasis Chamber and had been for ten thousand years. Atlantis revealed me to them when she felt they could be trusted."  
Dean leant forward.  
"Who did?"  
Chimera raised an eyebrow before realising what he meant.  
"Atlantis. The city. The city, which is also a spaceship, is so advanced that she is practically sentient. In fact, she is sentient. I felt her pain when her people left, even asleep and I felt her joy when she felt a strong Atlantean descendant leading new people through the Stargate."  
"Huh."  
Dean crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.  
"I take it that was this Wier woman you mentioned earlier."  
Chimera shook her head.  
"No. She didn't have the Ancient Gene, a marker in the DNA that showed you were a descendant of the Atlanteans. It was Sheppard. Next to General O'Neill, Sheppard has the strongest gene discovered so far. Atlantis adores him."  
They sat in silence for a moment, then Dean looked at her sharply.  
"How long had you been in that Stasis whatnot?"  
Chimera raised an eyebrow again, something that was becoming a regular expression tonight.  
"Stasis Chamber and I was in it for ten thousand years. That's how long Atlantis had been under the water."  
"How come you didn't drown?"  
Chimera laughed.  
"Same way the city can fly through space. She has a shield."  
"You mean, like in Star Trek?"  
Chimera nodded.  
"Yeah, like in Star Trek."  
Dean looked a little lost for a moment.  
"that thing can fly?"  
The Alien shrugged.  
"Usually. They blew a section of her engines trying to get here on time and I believe they only just made it. Even if they wanted to leave though, the Government is pinning them here and shifting a city without the neighbours seeing, is a little difficult."  
Dean raised his own eyebrow.  
"Neighbours?"  
Chimera leant forward, fingers lacing together.  
"How well do you think the people of San Francisco will react, when they see a city suddenly appear in the middle of the ocean and then rise up to vanish among the stars?"  
Dean shrugged.  
"I hadn't thought of that."  
"Clearly."  
Dean scowled at her, but his retort was cut of by a knock on the door. Dean glanced at the door but Chimera kept looking at him with a calm smile.  
"Come in Sam."  
The younger Winchester slipped inside with a couple of bags in his hand, glancing between the two at the table.  
"What's going on?"  
He laid the bags on the table and began pulling out boxes. Chimera sat back to give him more space and smiled.  
"I was asking her how she knew the people on Atlantis floating in the bay."  
Sam gave his brother a look as he handed over a carton of food and Chimera grinned.  
"You will probably find it interesting Sam. I hear you are very into mythology and I should think the chance of seeing the Lost City of Atlantis is a thrill."  
Sam grinned, taking a seat on the end of the bed with his own food.  
"It was amazing. To think that a lot of our Legends come from another race that moved to Earth is incredible, but we also can't deny that many if not all of these creatures exist."  
Chimera smiled.  
"Remind me to have John introduce you to Doctor Daniel Jackson. He is the Archaeologist that worked out how to activate the Stargate and has been a part of the first team going through it for the last ten years. I have never actually met him, but from what I have heard, he is a sarcastic but entertaining man to be around. You two would have a field day."  
Sam nodded.  
"I would like to meet him."  
"Hey Sam, get this. Apparently that floating city is a spaceship."  
Dean added from the side and Sam had a look of disbelief on his face as he looked to Chimera. She nodded.  
"It is. Atlantis raises its shield instead of the cloak and when the engines are working, can fly from here to the Pegasus Galaxy."  
Sam took a drink of beer.  
"Is that how you came to Earth? On Atlantis?"  
Chimera shook her head.  
"No, flyboy was surprised to see you and you just told me it had been years since you had spoken to anyone on Atlantis."  
Chimera shifted slightly in her seat, prodding her food cautiously with a fork. She placed the carton to one side and sighed.  
"When I woke, they didn't know who or what I was. I clearly wasn't an Atlantean. Even in Stasis, you age, though much slower and the Ancients usually only lasted a few days after waking. I on the other hand, still look very young. Early twenties compared to humans and then they saw my eyes. I was though, a former ally of the Atlanteans and that gave me some leeway. I spent some time there and bonded with the team, but on one of their missions, they were captured and held as hostages. I saw the video and recognised where they were. I activated the Stargate and showed Atlantis for the first time, the true extent of my powers."  
"You shifted?"  
Sam said in amazement. Chimera nodded.  
"I shifted, into one of Earth's large cats. If I was going to make an exit, I was going to make it big."  
"But you got them out. We saw them on the city."  
"Yes, but I didn't go back with them. I watched their six as they went through the Stargate, then I told them goodbye and I left. I knew they would try to find me, so I dialed out straight away and left the planet. That was the last time I saw them. I spent a couple of years then trying to find a way home. The Therian Empire had no Stargates and the Wraith kept every planet from ever gaining the chance of building ships. Eventually I came across a race of people called the Travellers, who stayed constantly on the move, to avoid the Wraith."  
"Space Gypsies?"  
Sam threw Dean a disapproving look but Chimera snorted.  
"You could call them that, yes. They are similar to your Gypsies. They gave me a lift home when I promised them either trade or scavenging rights. As it turned out, they had access to scavenge, for my people had died shortly after I left on a suicide mission to find help. All I found left was my ship, hidden and still functioning."  
Dean frowned.  
"After ten thousand years?"  
"Yes Dean, even after ten thousand years. When I found it, I offered a few of the Travellers to become my crew and I left the Pegasus Galaxy. I couldn't stay. I needed time to grieve. So I came here. I didn't know what had happened to Atlantis and when I found the address no longer worked, I realised they were either dead or had moved. No lifesigns or debris on the planet lead me to believe they had moved. I didn't know where and I didn't want to stay, so I figured that if I really wanted to, I could find out while I was here."  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
"Losing your entire race can't have been easy. Did you have any family left?"  
Chimera shrugged.  
"I always knew. I woke to the Atlanteans gone, the new Atlanteans fighting a powerful Wraith force and no sign of my people. When I had left, war was brewing with another race and the Wraith had been pestering our borders. Seeing it though, was a lot different to just simply knowing it. I think I always had a little hope that I was wrong. On the ship that I found, the Dark Star, I also found messages from my family. The last was from my brother Leo. He told me of how many in the Parliament were angered when I had been used as a scapegoat and sent away on a mission everyone knew was suicide. Many who fought against my parents, sided with them, but it was too late. My parents led the final battle in the war and their ships went down in fire. My brother was made to stay with the Dark Star and after the war, he fled to try and find me. He had no idea where to go or what had happened to me. It was the last I ever saw of him."  
Chimera stared out of the window into the darkness, her back rigid and tears in her eyes. The boys glanced at each other, uncertain what to do.  
"Why were you used as a scapegoat?"  
Sam scowled at Dean who shrugged. Chimera saw it and gave a slight smile.  
"One of the highest members of the Parliament ordered me to retrieve a Noble from one of the outlying planets when we were meant to be responding to an emergency on one of the larger populated planets. Their Planetary Shield was threatening to fail and there was an attack heading their way. We were the closest ship but they insisted I was to be the one to escort the Noble and his family to safety. I sent other ships to the planet, but they arrived too late. I was escorting the Lord and his family to the Core Planet, when I received the news. I changed course and went to see for myself. Their Planetary Shield had failed, just before the enemy had arrived. It had been having trouble for some time and the Engineers didn't know why. They didn't feel it was secure enough if they were attacked but the Parliament said it would be fine. The Engineers were right."  
"So they blamed you to cover their arses?"  
Dean scowled at his dinner. Chimera ran a hand over her face and cleared her throat.  
"There is no use in dwelling in the past. What's done is done and we can only learn from it."  
Sam nodded and they sat in silence for some time.  
"What's the plan for now? The vaccines are meant to come in the day after tomorrow, yeah? What do we do in the meantime?"  
Chimera spun the empty bottle on the table, chewing her lip as she thought.  
"Tomorrow, I will try and sneak into the Medical Ward. I need a closer look at the cameras and security lock on the storeroom. You two, keep up the pretense of the investigation. Talk to the drivers and find out what you can of their routine."  
"Sounds a plan. We meet up outside the Cafeteria at one?"  
Dean asked around a mouthful of rice, grabbing a pair of beers from the fridge. He passed one to his brother as Chimera agreed.  
"Might as well. Now scram. I have work to do."  
Sam grinned, shaking his head as he packed up the rubbish. He glanced at his brother who nodded to the door. Sam glanced from Dean to Chimera, who had gone back to her tablet and shook his head.  
"see you in the morning."  
Chimera waved vaguely in his direction, not looking up. They sat in silence, the only sound her nails on the tablet screen.  
"What do you want Dean?"  
"Uh. Well."  
Dean cleared his throat. Chimera rolled her eyes, setting the tablet to one side and resting her chin on clasped hands.  
"Well, what?"  
Dean avoided eye contact, twisting the beer bottle between his hands instead. He hated this whole talking about your feelings lark.  
About the other night."  
Chimera raised an eyebrow.  
"Which night?"  
Dean scowled at her and Chimera grinned, feigning the sudden return of the memory.  
"Oh, you mean the night by the Impala, in the Warehouse. What about it?"  
"I was just wondering, you know, where that placed us."  
"Do you regret it?"  
Dean paused for a moment before shaking his head. He tensed slightly when he felt something against his shin, then realised by the grin on Chimera, just what it was. She stood, moving round the table and sliding her hands up the arms of his chair. She put her mouth by his ear and whispered;  
"I guess that leaves us where ever you fancy."  
As she pulled away, Dean thought 'fuck it' and moved forward, catching her mouth with his. It was no chaste kiss, but long and heated, his hand running round her waist as he stood and pulled her close. He put the bottle on the table without looking, resulting in it falling off when he only put it half on. He ignored it, pushing Chimera closer to the bed, but she stopped him, twisting him round and tripping him with one foot. He landed on his back on the bed and grinned up at the feline who smiled back with a predatory look. Dean was suddenly hit with a spike of adrenaline fueled fear, but he shook it off. Chimera was both scary and hot with gleaming white, razor sharp canines and yellow eyes glowing in the lamplight. She pulled her white blouse open, revealing the bra underneath and straddled his hips, catching him in another kiss and running her hands under his top. Dean ran his hands up her legs loving the feel of tight muscle and praying Sam didn't come looking for him. He suspected though, after the look Sam had given him, his brother had known exactly where things had been going. Dean was glad it had.


	13. Ready, Set, Fire

Ready, Set, Fire

Chimera crept into the Medical Ward, darting under the beds to one side. She watched the boots of the soldier she had followed through the door as she slunk along the beds. Her tail twitched as she stopped under one bed, the boots having come to a stop and another pair of feet joining them. Peering out, Chimera saw a large woman with a fearsome scowl and a nurses uniform.  
"What can I do for you Smitherson?"  
"I was wondering if you had any Aspirin Ma'am."  
The nurse peered at the man.  
"Migraine again?"  
Chimera slipped past to the next bed as Smitherson nodded. The nurse grunted, turning away.  
"Doctor Henders isn't here, but I will let him know you stopped by. He thinks something in your diet might be causing them."  
Chimera ignored any further conversation, slipping through into the hallway and down to the storeroom while the nurse was distracted. She appeared to be the only official on duty. Chimera padded to the doorway of the Loading Bay and saw it was empty. She sat down and studied the cameras positions better, cocking her head to one side as she listened to the humming in the walls. She bruffed against the wall beneath the electronic lock and closed her eyes, feeling the minute vibrations from it. She was about to shift back when, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Before she could react, the floor suddenly dropped away.  
"Who do we have here then?"  
Chimera found herself suddenly at eye level with the scowling nurse. A scowl which quickly changed into a smile.  
"Well aren't you just the cutest."  
Oh, bugger.  
Chimera thought, her ears going back. This was going to be tricky to get out of.

Dean tried to hide a wince as he adjusted the gun hidden in the small of his back. Sam grinned smugly.  
Stiff Dean?"  
His brother glared at him, but Sam just kept up with the shit eating grin.  
"No."  
Dean huffed but couldn't help the grin that spread.  
"Not really, but she is definitely a wildcat. Literally. Got one hell of a set of claws on her."  
Sam pulled a face.  
"I do not need to know."  
Dean glanced at his watch. It was gone one and Chimera still hadn't shown up.  
"You think we should go find her?"  
Sam checked his own watch.  
"She is fifteen minutes late and I get the feeling that is not normal for her."  
Dean nodded and they headed for the Medical Ward.  
"Maybe she got caught."  
Sam raised an eyebrow.  
"Changing from a cat? That would be impressive. How do you think she would explain that?"  
Dean grunted and they walked in silence. When they reached the Medical Ward, he pulled open the door and his brother walked past. Dean didn't realise his brother had stopped until he almost smacked into Sam's shoulder.  
"What?"  
He followed Sam's gaze to a the desk at the end of the Ward, where a woman in a nurses uniform, built bigger than the two boys, was cooing at a black cat with a white bib and two white feet, nestled on its back in her arms. The boys exchanged a look, approaching the desk while trying not to laugh. Dean could have sworn the cat's eyes got narrower. The nurse looked up and Dean almost did a double take from the foul tempered look.  
"Can I help you?"  
The woman stroked the cat, who purred in her arms.  
"I'm Agent Clyde. This is Agent Bonnie. We're looking for our colleague. Agent Felix. She was suppose to meet us at the Cafeteria and never showed. She said she would visit here first."  
The nurse shrugged.  
"Haven't seen her."  
Dean nodded, returning his badge to the inside pocket of his jacket. Sam smiled.  
"Nice cat. Is he yours?"  
The nurse smiled, her face softening and becoming less terrifying.  
"It's a girl and no she isn't mine, unfortunately. She wandered into the Ward all on her own."  
"Did she now? Fancy that."  
Dean grinned at his brother who tried to keep a professional face, unable to help the small grin. The cat twitched its tail sharply, it's gaze fixed sourly on the boys. Sam cleared his throat.  
"Yes, well. That cat violates health and safety regulations I'm afraid."  
"I know that. I'm the only one on duty and I'm not allowed to leave my post except on emergency. When I am relieved of duty, I plan to take her to the base vet. He will find her owner. Don't want you to accidentally wander onto the weapons range now, do we?"  
The nurse went back to cooing at the cat like a baby.  
"No, of course not. Wouldn't want the cute little kitty to get shot up the ass now, would we?"  
Dean said with a grin to the cat. Her expression had him imagining her saying that she would take getting shot in the ass any day over her current situation. Sam elbowed his brother in the ribs.  
"You know, I'm pretty sure I saw the vets down by the barracks. How about we take her for you. We were heading that way anyway."  
"Unless you would prefer to do it yourself."  
Dean added from the side, getting another tail swish in response. Sam tried not to stand on Dean's foot. The nurse shook her head.  
"I have work to do I'm afraid. If you're heading that way, then I suppose you should take her."  
Sam stepped back, nudging Dean to take the cat. He cautiously approached as the cat almost launched at him.  
"Aw, she likes you Agent Clyde."  
Dean's smile turned into a grimace as the cats claws dug in deeper then necessary. The boys backed away claiming the need to find their partner and get the cat to the vets, making a quick getaway out the door. Once they hit outside, they vanished round the back of the building and the cat leapt from Dean's arms. Before it hit the concrete, the cat had changed into a flustered Chimera. She spun round and raised a finger.  
"Not one word. Not one freaking word or I will end the both of you so thoroughly, not even your God will be able to bring you back."  
"Yes Agent Felix."  
Dean smirked. Chimera growled, low and animalistic, but the boys didn't lose their grins. They did breath a sigh of relief when she spun around and stormed off though. They snorted with laughter and followed her.

"Did you manage to figure anything out?"  
Chimera huffed.  
"Not before I was assaulted. Horrid woman. I did find out though that there is a nurse in at all times. Even through the night. She's got the shift tomorrow night."  
Sam nodded, looking back over his notes as he took a bite from his burger.  
"According to the drivers, the truck should arrive at the main gate by eight. By quarter past it should be parked in the Medical Ward and gone by half past. After that, it's all laid out in the Loading Bay, being sorted by the staff, consisting of the on duty nurse and maybe one other. Depends on how much there is."  
Dean washed his food down with a mouthful of beer.  
"Can we get in through the Loading Bay door?"  
Chimera shook her head, darting a hand out to thieve one of Dean's chips. He scowled at her smug grin.  
"Nope. They lock the door and I saw motion sensors the first time."  
"We also need to get past the electronic lock to destroy the remaining vaccines."  
Sam added, rolling his eyes as Dean stole Chimeras bottle of coke.  
"I can hack the lock. We also need the cameras disabled. I thought about using it for the fire, but the camera runs on a separate electrical system to the medical freezers. it would look strange."  
Chimera snatched the bottle of coke back as she spoke.  
"Could we put it on a loop?"  
Sam grinned as Chimera aimed the bottle at Dean and twisted the cap. Dean flinched, almost ducking as he expected a fizzy spray. Nothing happened except for a hiss.  
"Maybe. If I get my Second to hack the system, she can put it on a loop and leave me the electronic lock to deal with."  
"Second?"  
Dean asked curiously. Chimera grinned, her fangs showing.  
"Second in command and before you ask, yes she is cute, no I am not asking. Not even for you."  
Dean raised his hands in an innocent gesture.  
"How do we get to the Medical Ward without being seen by any other cameras?"  
"You two don't. I'll get by as a cat and change when in the blank spot. No one will noticed that."  
Dean scowled.  
"What are we supposed to do? Sit here and twiddle our thumbs?"  
Chimera leant across the table and patted Dean's cheek.  
"At least you'll be cute while twiddling your thumbs."  
Sam frowned.  
"What?"  
Dean shook his head.  
"Don't ask. What if you get caught by nurse cuddly again?"  
Chimera sniffed.  
"I'll keep a better eye on her this time."  
Sam suddenly grinned.  
"Hey Dean, you said we needed a distraction."  
Dean looked at Sam perplexed, then caught on. He grinned at Chimera.  
"Yes I did, didn't I."  
Chimera eyed them suspiciously.  
"What? Oh. Oh, hell no."  
"Come on, it's perfect. You lead her away, we sneak in behind her, break into the storeroom, grab a vaccine and set the fire."  
Chimera gave him a look that would make a rabid wolf cower in fear.  
"You need me to hack the lock and rewire the freezer."  
Dean nodded to his brother.  
"Sam's a computer genius. Give him a quick rundown and I'll be the one on watch."  
Chimera looked ready to argue, then slumped in her seat with a scowl.  
"Fine. You better get me out of there as soon as you can though."  
Dean shrugged.  
"How? You're going to have Nurse Cuddly on you."  
"Won't the fire distract her enough for you to escape?"  
Sam interrupted. Chimera nodded, still unhappy.  
"Alright. I will be the decoy. I hate you both."  
Dean snorted.  
"No you don't."  
Sam laughed when the coke lid bounced of Dean's forehead.

Chimera had once more taken the black and white feline form and stood flexing her claws, glaring at the double doors.  
"Go get em tiger."  
Sam and Chimera both looked at Dean with raised eyebrows, which for a cat, was impressive. Dean shrugged.  
"What? I could have said 'There's a good kitty.'"  
Chimera flicked her tail in disapproval, glowered once more at the boys and slipped through into the Medical Ward. The delivery truck had gone just a few moments before and the delivery had been small enough to only need the on duty nurse. Nurse Cuddly, as Dean had named her, was down in the Loading Bay, sorting through the new supplies. Chimera padded quickly down the Ward and into the hallway. She peered into the doctor's office and saw no suitable hiding place. The window into the Ward also made it risky for the boys sneaking by. The door to her right though seemed to open into a staff lounge. The windows looked outside and there was a sofa in the middle. Low enough that she could just slip under. The plan forming in her head, Chimera padded towards the Loading Bay, meowing. She heard a clatter as a box was shifted, then a muttering. She meowed again. A shuffling noise alerted her to movement, just moments before Nurse Cuddly appeared in the doorway.  
Dean thinks she's scary for a nurse. He should try it from my angle.  
Chimera thought as she stood watching the nurse. She meowed once more.  
"Well, well. What are you doing back here? Did you miss me?"  
I missed you about as much as I miss fleas.  
Chimera headed back down the hall, keeping ahead of the woman. The nurse followed, just as they had anticipated. The cat spotted Sam and Dean taking cover in the main Ward. She gave them another glare and darted into the Staff Lounge, followed closely by Nurse Cuddly. Chimera circled the nurse's feet, yowling as she headed for the kitchen unit. The nurse giggled.  
"Hungry are we?"  
The nurse dug through the cupboards and Chimera watched the boys sneak past. When Dean was in the doorway though, the nurse straightened and started to turn. Dean froze and Chimera leapt forward. She shot past the nurse's feet, almost tripping her and vanished under the sofa. Nurse Cuddly spun with her.  
"Now why did you do that? Silly puss. Come out here and have some fish."  
Chimera rolled her eyes. She peered out at Dean, who had vanished as the Nurse got to her knees on the far side of the sofa. An open can of sardines suddenly appeared just inches from her nose and Chimera nearly gagged.  
"Come on sweetie. Come have some food."  
Chimera huffed. Dean owed her, big time.

Dean breathed a sigh of relief as he crept past the kitchen. That had been a close call. He had a sinking feeling that Chimera would make them pay for this at some point and it would not be pleasant. Sam was already working on the electronic lock and Dean listened to the cooing of the nurse in the Staff Lounge. Yep, Chimera would make them suffer for this. A soft beep and click told them the lock was disengaged and they slipped into the storeroom. They took a moment to see if the nurse had heard, before pulling out the flashlights. Chimera had told them to look for an experimental vaccine on Smallpox and Measles, most likely still in a shipping crate. The new delivery was all set up on the table in the centre of the room and that was where they started. Sam found a clipboard with a delivery invoice and scanned it. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses, which was odd considering the time of night. Chimera had given them to him earlier in the day, with a small device attached to one arm, effectively turning the glasses into a camera. This allowed Tanya to see what Sam was seeing from the Dark Star and an earpiece meant she could give Sam instructions to tamper with the electrics.  
"Got it. Bains Pharmaceuticals, Experimental vaccine, Crate three. There should be a hundred bottles in it. Looks like it's the only box with vaccines in it."  
Dean looked at the numbers on the crates. One, Two and Five.  
"I don't see number three here."  
Sam checked himself and the two exchanged a look over the crates.  
"Hang on, what's that crate behind you, set to the side?"  
Dean spun round to see another crate sitting on top of a low freezer. A large red three was painted on the top and he laughed.  
"Thank god for that."  
He pulled the crate open and looked at the layer of small glass bottles. Sam pulled one out and peered at the label. His hand went up to his ear.  
"What is it?"  
Dean asked his brother.  
"She says we need to hurry up and the top layer has about fifty bottles, so check for a second layer and they will all be there."  
Dean stared at Sam for a moment.  
"I don't want to know."  
Sam snorted.  
"I'm wearing a camera Dean. All she had to do was pause the video and count."  
Sam paused again.  
"Or use a highly advanced computer program."  
He added slowly. Dean huffed, grabbing a second bottle and shoving it into his pocket. Sam shoved his own bottle into a pocket and bent next to the freezer holding the crate. As Sam listened to Tanya, Dean lifted the top layer and made certain the rest were underneath. He packed it all up and shoved it back into place as Sam stood up, the bare wires sparking. The fire should destroy the entire room, but just incase it didn't, they had to ensure the vaccines would be destroyed. Tanya was able to hack and disable the sprinkler system and fire alarm from the Dark Star. Job done, they slipped from the room and it automatically locked behind them. They could still hear the nurse cooing in the Staff Lounge, frustration lacing her voice.  
"You can't hide under there forever. Come on."  
They crept past, seeing the nurse was still on her knees, this time with her back to the door. Dean could see the lights reflecting from Chimeras eyes in the shadows. They speed walked out of the infirmary, relaxing only when the doors swung shut behind them.  
"Damn, that was close."  
Sam nodded.  
"Least we got out quick. Was easy, considering we are in a military base."  
They rounded a corner and were met by a pair of guns. The boys went for their own guns automatically.  
"Don't. Who are you?"  
The taller, dark haired man spoke, his gun aimed at Dean, who noticed they both had strange black tattoos on their foreheads. The Winchesters removed their hands from their guns, raising them to show they were empty.  
"Be very careful where you're pointing that boy. Someone could get hurt."  
The dark haired man scowled, exchanging a look with his blonde companion.  
"Who are you and what is your purpose here?"  
"We're Agents from the OSI, following an investigation of a black market smuggling ring."  
Sam answered. The dark haired man shook his head.  
"No your not. Earth military has no records on you. Who do you work for? Which System Lord?"  
The boys glanced at each other confused. Sam was about to say something, when the dark haired mans head snapped back violently. The three men watched in surprise as he dropped to the floor, lifeless. Dean felt his gun tugged from his holster and there was a bang, the blonde dropping beside his partner, a bullet between his eyes. Chimera flicked the safety on Dean's gun and tossed it back to him, where he randomly noticed that she had shot the man with her left hand, not her right like usual. He stared speechless at her.  
"What? We have a deadline."  
She shrugged and stepped over the dark haired mans body. Sam was peering at the bloody mess that use to be the man's right eye.  
"Is that…?"  
"I think so. She killed him with a mechanical pencil."  
Dean frowned.  
"can you even do that?"  
Sam shrugged.  
"Apparently she can."  
They hurried after her. Chimera was already on the phone as they stepped outside and headed up a path.  
"Yes Sheppard, I shot one of them. No I didn't shoot the other one. I know I said they were both dead. You know, there are other ways to kill someone without shooting them."  
She was silent for a moment.  
"I used a pencil."  
She spoke offhandedly, as though it was not such an unusual thing.  
"Yes Sheppard, it is possible. For a start it was a metal pencil. Of course it matters. Metal is stronger than wood. The wood would have splintered upon impact and not gone deep enough to penetrate the bone behind the optic cord."  
They walked in silence again and Dean saw Chimera roll her eyes.  
"I took them by surprise. They were asking the boys which System Lord they served. Looks like they got past your cover story but couldn't find any records of the boys. Or, they couldn't find me and assumed the boys were like me and not from around here. Either way, I saw a metal pencil on a nearby desk, used a maneuver I learnt in Academy to put extra force behind it and aimed it straight through his eye. Then while everyone stood looking stupid at him, I took Dean's gun and shot the second one. That's the full story. Are you happy now?"  
Dean smirked and Sam shook his head with a faint smile. They glanced around, looking for any sign that the shot had been heard and the bodies found, but no one appeared to be heading in their direction. Chimera kept walking with no apparent concern. Then suddenly, there were sirens going off. Chimera flinched, bringing a hand up to one ear and turned to look to her right. They watched as a fire truck shot past to the Medical Ward which was smoking excessively, an orange glow beginning to show around the edge.  
"I got to go."  
Chimera hung up the phone without bothering to wait for a response.  
"Looks like our work is done."  
She said softly, the three stood watching as more people gathered at the burning building. They could see the roof start to catch fire.  
"Who were those two you killed?"  
Sam asked. Chimera shrugged.  
"Two Jaffa soldiers serving the Goa'uld. They must have been placed there to protect the vaccines and got suspicious of us."  
"How did you know they were Jaffa?"  
Dean looked at her and was taken by the way the fire caught her face partially. One eye glowed gold, her hair shimmering like Snowflake Obsidian.  
"The tattoos on their forehead. It indicates the System Lord they serve. Each Goa'uld had a symbol, a crest if you will. The Jaffa Prime, or what you would call their General, had molten gold as the mark of their rank. The rest just had a tattoo."  
"Sounds painful."  
She grunted, her attention shifting to something happening by the burning building. The Winchesters tried to follow her gaze as she cocked her head to one side.  
"What is it?"  
Dean tried to ask but she shushed him. The boys shrugged at each other. Suddenly her face fell and she glanced around as though unsure what to do. Finally, she huffed, straightened her jacket and pulled out her sunglasses.  
"Stay here."  
Chimera threw over her shoulder as she strode away. She headed back down to the burning building, towards the cat loving nurse, who was stood to one side with another woman.  
"What if she didn't get out? She could still be trapped in there. I didn't see where she went."  
The nurse had tears running down a soot covered face as her friend tried to console her. The woman hurried away to fetch some water and Chimera stepped in, a soft smile on her face.  
"I'm sorry. I couldn't help but overhear your concern of a black and white cat in the fire."  
The nurse turned on her and stared in astonishment.  
"I never told anyone that she was a black and white."  
Chimera turned to face her.  
"Would it help if I told you, that I can guarantee, personally, that she escaped unharmed?"  
The nurse sniffed, a look of hope in her eyes.  
"How do you know?"  
Chimera pulled her sunglasses off just enough to show her yellow eyes, let out the same distinct purr as the black and white cat had and winked. Her hair glimmered in the firelight.  
"I promise."  
That was all Chimera said and she saw a sudden look of dawning hit the nurse as she smiled, her sharp canines flashing in the firelight and walked away. She ignored the stuttering of the nurse behind her and wondered if she should mention the woman to Woolsey. The nurse seemed intelligent and Chimera had overheard her name. She returned to the boys, who raised their eyebrows.  
"Did you get the vaccine for Carson?"  
Chimera strode past them, ignoring their expectant looks.  
"Two bottles."  
Dean showed her a glass bottle and she took it, peering over her glasses at the label. Sam had moved to her other side as they headed back to their accommodation. His own sunglasses were back in his pocket. Chimera handed the bottle back to Dean.  
"Good. That should keep Carson busy. We head back to Atlantis in the morning."  
"What about this?"  
Sam gestured to the fire behind them. It was getting smaller, the fire teams successful in their attempts to put it out. Chimera shrugged.  
"The supplies will be destroyed. No doubt Colonel Smith will call us either tonight or in the morning. Let me do the talking when that happens."  
She pulled open the door to the barracks and held it for the boys.  
"Won't they suspect us? Or want us to investigate the bodies?"  
Dean asked as they headed up the stairs opposite the door.  
"Actually, they probably will. I plan to claim that the medication was contaminated and the two men attacked us when we got to close to finding out during our investigation."  
Sam frowned.  
"That might work. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried attacking a military base. Although, terrorists usually go for more public places."  
Chimera smiled.  
"It's called twisting the truth. Now, we should get some sleep while we can and hide those bottles. We don't want them to be found."


	14. Mission Accomplished

Mission Accomplished

Colonel Smith looked at Special Agent Felix, his eyes dark with fatigue. He had been up most of the night with a sudden fire in the Medical Ward. Fortunately, no one had been hurt in the fire and he hadn't seen any reason to awaken the three Agents at the time. It wasn't till early in the morning, he found out that two men were dead, burnt to a crisp by the fire. Their bodies had been too badly damaged to determine who they were, but according to his officers, no one was missing.  
"So, you see my dilemma here, Agent?"  
Agent Felix smiled sadly.  
"I do indeed Colonel. I believe I can clear up one dilemma though. The two bodies are indeed, not USA Military. When we arrived, it was following a black market ring, stealing supplies, but that wasn't the complete truth. You see, we also received information, that a terrorist organisation was going to replace medical supplies to various bases, with tampered supplies."  
The Colonel frowned.  
"Why was I not informed of this?"  
The Colonel was having trouble keeping his temper in check. He had been up most of the night, had not managed to get any food and was sorely missing his morning coffee, which was running late. Agent Felix crossed her slender legs and laced her fingers together.  
"We did not know how high up the chain the smuggling ring went, nor did we want to cause unnecessary panic. My agents and I were perfectly capable to handle the situation and I was advised to keep it on the low. The fire was unfortunate, but my colleagues were able to attain samples of the contaminated goods from the other targeted bases."  
Colonel Smith ran a hand over his face and sighed.  
"What has this got to do with the two bodies?"  
He eyed the two men who flanked their boss, silent and motionless. Agent Felix examined her sharp nails nonchalantly.  
"We were heading to the Medical Ward to speak with whoever was on duty, to see if we could examine the new delivery. The two men jumped us with guns and threatened to shoot us. We would have preferred to take them alive, but alas, that was not to be. Of course, then we realised there was a fire and made our way out."  
Colonel Smith stared at her, his face blank for a moment. The boys glanced at each other, but said nothing.  
"So, you killed those two men?"  
Chimera spread her hands in a disappointed shrug.  
"Unfortunately, but necessarily. My employer has already been informed of the unfortunate situation but as it was self defence and my team's records are previously untarnished, our punishment will be minor. The information those two gentlemen could have provided, would have been very useful."  
Colonel Smith nodded. He had no reason to distrust Agent Felix or her two men. According to the personnel on the base, they had been nothing but friendly and polite and the dead men had been found with weapons in hand.  
"What about the fire?"  
Chimera smiled easily.  
"As I am sure you are aware, Colonel, the fire is still to hot to determine the cause. The fire crew will provide a report and until they do and unless it states that they suspect foul play, there is nothing I can do. No doubt it was an accident. Now, my team and I have been called back, so if it does prove to be more than an accident, I am afraid another team will deal with it."  
Chimera stood up as the Colonel nodded in agreement. He stood up and walked them out.  
"I understand and I hope you have a safe journey back. General O'Neill spoke highly of you."  
Chimera froze for a second, a slightly confused look on her face. Colonel Smith found himself once more wishing he could see her eyes. They emerged outside to where a black car sat waiting, it's engine idling. Agents Bonnie And Clyde got into the car behind Agent Felix, who was watching the Colonel.  
"Did he now? Well, that is sweet of him. Now that I recall, he spoke highly of you, just before we came here. 'A good man, with an exemplary record' I believe was his phrasing.."  
The Colonel didn't know what to say, pleased with the praise and watched Chimera slid into the front seat. The driver smoothly pulled the car away and headed for the gate.

The ride from Travis Air Base back to Atlantis was over quick. Now they sat around the table in the Conference Room with the Atlanteans. Chimera and the Winchester's had just finished relaying the past few days events. Carson had taken the two bottles of vaccine with enthusiasm and hadn't been seen since.  
"So, what happens now?"  
Dean asked, his gaze on Chimera, who was sat between Sheppard and Teyla. The Therian raised a delicate eyebrow, but it was Woolsey who responded, clearing his throat.  
"Well, now we wait for Doctor Beckett to give us his analysis. We are also keeping a close watch on Bains Pharmaceutical for any suspicious activity. Once we have Doctor Beckett's analysis of the vaccine, we can take it from there."  
"Basically, we are going to kick the Goa'uld in the rear and turf them out of business."  
Sheppard said with a grin.  
"As for you two, General O'Neill has wiped both your slates clean. No more warrants or death certificates."  
Sam and Dean grinned at Sheppard.  
"Not bad Flyboy."  
Ronon snorted from beside Sheppard.  
"General O'Neill has also given us his details to pass on. If you should ever need help, he says to call."  
Woolsey added and the boys exchanged a dumbfounded look.  
"Seriously?"  
Woolsey nodded.  
"Now, as we are waiting on Doctor Beckett, I suggest we get back to our original work."  
The man stood up, indicating the meeting was over and left, stopping briefly to talk to Chimera on his way out. Dean watched her, standing next to Sam as they waited for everyone to leave.  
"You okay?"  
Dean glanced at his brother and snorted.  
"Yeah, I'm great. Why?"  
Sam rolled his eyes, following Sheppard out of the door, leaving Dean and Chimera alone in the Conference Room. Chimera smiled at Dean and turned towards the balcony overlooking the Stargate.  
"You actually meant, what's happening with us, didn't you?"  
Chimera asked, running a hand through her black and white flecked hair. She had changed into her usual, more casual outfit and stood, feet apart, arms crossed on the railing. Dean shrugged, embarrassed at sounding so needy. She looked at Dean, not surprised to find him looking at the Gate below.  
"You know I can't stay Dean. Rodney has almost finished the engine repairs and the government has just authorised the city to return to the Pegasus Galaxy. It's my home and the Wraith must be put down."  
Dean nodded, looking down at his hands. He had noticed Sam stop on the landing halfway up the stairs, giving them some privacy, yet watching carefully.  
"Yeah, I know. I think I've always known."  
"You could come with me. You and Sam."  
Dean laughed bitterly.  
"No we can't. Who will put Lucifer back in his cage if we go? Or stop the Demons and other creatures that pray on people?"  
The Alien nodded, leaning forward on the railing.  
"I knew you would say that. As tied to your duty, as I am to mine."  
Suddenly, she straightened, turning to face Dean with a mischievous smile, one hand on the railing and the other on one hip. He eyed her cautiously.  
"Still, it's going to take Rodney a few days to finish his repairs and for SG1 to take down Bains Pharmaceutical. I also realised, you two haven't seen the Dark Star yet and well, we all deserve a few days off after everything. What do you say?"  
Dean raised an eyebrow and then shrugged, grinning.  
"Well, when you put it like that."  
Chimera laughed and the Winchester's stared in amazement as strange blue lights swirled around them, while none of the Atlanteans even looked up. Then suddenly, the world was below them and the stars shone brighter.


End file.
